Ends four-game losing streak
MARQUETTE, Mich. – After a four-game winless streak, the Wildcats got back in the win column, beating the St. Cloud State Huskies 3-0 in Marquette.
The Wildcats (5-4-5, 4-4-2 GLIAC) garnered a critical three points in conference play as the regular season now dwindles to two games remaining, both coming next weekend at the NMU soccer field. The Huskies (4-10-1, 2-8-0 GLIAC) have now dropped eight games in its past nine matches, and have not won on the road since the middle of September.
The Wildcats opened the scoring 13 minutes into the game, as Ian Weimer (2-1–5) scored a header off a perfect cross from James Carr (0-3–3). Weimer has come into form for the Wildcats, as he earned his fifth start in the last six games after only two starts in the first six matches. In his last seven contests, Weimer has played a minimum of 53 minutes, as opposed to only recording a high of 23 minutes in his opening five games.
With the wind in their face, the Wildcats outshot the Huskies 7-3 in the first half, with both teams getting three on target and both earning three corner kicks.
After a rare stretch of three consecutive matches without recording at least a point, standout forward Luca Rosen scored a brace, with both goals coming in the second half. The forward first earned his team a penalty before standing over the ball and scoring convincingly, before stealing the ball on the back line and beating the keeper one-on-one with three minutes remaining in the match.
The Wildcat defense and goaltender Asaf Kristal earned its seventh clean sheet of the season, the fifth in conference play, as Kristal turned aside all six that found the target. The ‘Cats held the Huskies to just eight shot attempts, the second-fewest the Wildcats have allowed all season.
Both sides were shown two yellow cards, with Jan Hoffman and Alessandro Scialanga being booked for the Wildcats. Elliot Hadley of St. Cloud was shown a red card in the 75th minute, and the ‘Cats played up a man for the final 15.
How It Happened
The Wildcats opened the scoring 13 minutes into the game, as an initial blocked shot landed on the boot of Carr. Carr, from just outside of the box on the right-hand side, played a curling cross into the box to find Weimer, who got his head on it to beat the SCSU netminder from in tight and open the Wildcat account on the evening.
NMU doubled its lead with less than ten minutes to play, but the far-side official raised his flag for offside. The referee used VAR, and it was determined that the call on the field was deemed correct.
Rosen worked his way into the box and earned a foul, and the ‘Cats earned a penalty just eight minutes into the second frame. Rosen, after being fouled, stood over the ball on the spot and confidently beat the keeper to double the Wildcat lead with 40 minutes to play.
After stealing the ball from the last defender of St. Cloud, Rosen broke in one-on-one with the keeper Dufner, who replaced Atia in the second half. Rosen confidently dribbled around Dufner, who came off his line, and potted his second goal of the evening with three minutes remaining.
Up Next
The Wildcats have one final weekend of home matches before the start of the postseason, as the team hosts conference-leading Roosevelt on Friday, October 31, before senior day celebrations take place on Sunday, November 2.
