Kowalczyk scored the only goal of the title game
UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. — The storybook is complete. From dead last a season ago, the Northern Michigan University men’s soccer team is the 2025 GLIAC Postseason Champions.
James Carr, Jan Hoffman, Quint Van Roij, and Ian Weimer were all named to the All-GLIAC Tournament Team.
In a weekend where the Wildcats posted a lot of program-firsts, head coach Alex Fatovic and the Wildcats added another program-first today, a story that head coach Fatovic says he is “unable to put into words.”
“They’re such hard workers, and they always respond, and they just love each other, and I think that’s the key. When you get a group of guys that are so passionate about each other, they’re going to work hard and dig deep. And for being up a goal for 15 minutes in the GLIAC Championship game with an immense amount of pressure, they hung tough, and I’m just so proud of them.”
In a truly improbable turn of events and one of the best storylines of the year, the #3 Northern Michigan University men’s soccer team (9-4-6, 6-4-2 GLIAC) are GLIAC Postseason Champions for the first time in program history, defeating hosts #1 Saginaw Valley State (11-3-4, 9-2-1 GLIAC) 1-0 off a late second-half goal from Tyler Kowalczyk with assists from Luca Rosen and James Carr.
When catching up with the goal scorer, Kowalczyk, he said that moments like these are what you dream of as an athlete. Kowalczyk has only scored once in his collegiate career, and undoubtedly will be the biggest in his years to come.
“This is a big moment for everybody, not just me, but the whole team. Scoring the game-winning goal in the championship is a moment that I’ve been dreaming about since I was a kid… I made a run to the back post, Luca [Rosen] made a play to me, and I just tapped it in. I was in the right place at the right time.”
Co-captain Alessandro Scialanga at practice yesterday, he doubled down on how much he believed in this team and their ability to reach new heights. When speaking with him after the match, “I always believed we could do it” were the first words that came out of his mouth.
“As the season went on and we were winning more games and getting in better shape towards the end, I knew we could go all the way, and we did it… We have a fantastic group of guys. We have a lot of support, a great coaching staff… and this has been our strength all season long. Everybody from the bench can come in and put up a performance, and that’s our main asset.”
After four grueling years of hard work and dedication, senior Jan Hoffmann, with a medal around his neck and the postseason trophy in his hands, was at a loss for words and overcome with emotion when I spoke to him in a post-match interview.
“A lot is going through my mind, but this is everything and means the world to me. We said we could do it, and we did it… This trophy is a tribute to everyone who supported us, but I also know that there is a lot to come for the younger guys. There are a lot of good things coming to this program in the future.”
The Wildcats opened the match into the cold and blustery wind, but arguably had two of the better chances in the half, both coming off the boot of Luca Rosen. The Cardinals had spells of possession, including a stretch of six corner kicks in a matter of fifteen minutes within the first half an hour of play. Despite out shooting the ‘Cats 7-4, both teams registered two on target, but the teams entered the halftime break at 0-0.
“The wind was an issue today, although I still think we got a couple of really good chances in the first half and it was a really even game,” said head coach Fatovic. “We wanted to get to halftime at 0-0; we knew it would change the game.”
The wind continued to blow and the snowfall became more frequent as the second half came underway. The Wildcats broke through in the 71st minute, as Tyler Kowalczyk scored his first goal of the season after finishing off a perfect passing play from Luca Rosen and James Carr, the latter of which came back into the game after being subbed off just a minute into the half.
“The second half was weird; we got an injury early, and then it was a back-and-forth battle against a really good team. You’re never going to get an easy result against them, but we found a moment, then we just dug deep and found a way to see this one out.”
The injury referred above was veteran attacking-midfielder James Carr, who plays a crucial role down the right side. Carr went down a minute into the half with a dislocated elbow, but would come back just minutes later before garnering an assist on the game-winning goal. Head coach Fatovic described him as “tournament MVP” when asked about the international, after he put up three assists in two games this weekend.
“The elbow popped out, he popped it back in, and he said to me, ‘I’m going back in this game’, and James [Carr] embodies the toughness that we have as a team.”
The Wildcats got contributions from across the board today. From timely saves, clearances off the line, blocked shots, and substitutes, Davian Gumbs and senior Max Rebori subbing on and icing the game with less than a minute to go, head coach Fatovic acknowledged how deep his squad is.
“We’ve got guys for critical situations and different moments, and we were looking for how we were going to finish this one out. Max [Rebori] hadn’t played in four games, and this was a big moment for him in the dying embers. Just like Isaac [Cervantes] coming in, we have a guy for every situation, and I am just so proud of this team.”
The Wildcats made history in front of a packed Robbert C. Braddock field with plenty of traveling friends and family.
“I don’t think anyone was going to miss our first championship match in program history. It was really great support, and hopefully they can travel to wherever we end up in the NCAA Tournament.”
The Wildcats will produce another first in program history, as the team now awaits the NCAA Selection Show to determine where they play. That will take place on Monday, November 17, at 8 p.m. on NCAA.com.
‘Cat Nips
- Kowalczyk (one goal, two assists) scored the game-winning goal, his first goal of the season and second of his career. The sophomore’s only other goal came on 10/11/2024 vs Davenport.
- Rosen (nine goals, four assists) added his second assist in as many games.
- Carr (six assists) added his third assist in two games, furthering his team lead in assists
- Goalkeeper Asaf Kristal made three saves for the team’s ninth clean sheet of the season
How It Happened
The Wildcats had the game’s first opportunity just minutes into the game, as Weimer stole the ball from the back line and earned a two-on-one with Rosen. Weimer slid a pass to Rosen on the top of the box, but his shot was handled by the goalkeeper.
The Wildcats earned its first corner kick of the game in the dying minutes of the half, and it was played short. A quick passing play between Scialanga and Rosen set up the striker from just on top of the box. Rosen sent a powerful hit that appeared to be labeled for the top right corner, but just narrowly missed.
The second half did not start in the Wildcats’ favor, as James Carr went down hard onto his side and required medical attention just a minute into the half. Carr would remain on the sideline for minutes of on-field care, and would return to the game just 13 minutes later, making an immediate impact with a shot that just narrowly missed the right post following an NMU free kick.
The Cardinals had a dangerous look at goal with 25 minutes to go in the half, as Zimmerman found himself wide open on the left-hand side of the box. Zimmerman took a shot, and it was a sliding Grimaldi who saved the day.
The Wildcats opened the scoring with just under 20 minutes to play, as the Wildcats finished off a perfect passing play. Carr drove to the right edge of the box, slid a perfect pass to a wide-open Rosen on top of the box. Everyone thought he was going to shoot, but the striker played a one-touch pass to Kowalczyk on the far post, who had a yawning net to redirect the pass into.
The Cardinals began to press and came inches from scoring on a pair of chances. An initial shot with nine minutes remaining was cleared off the line by an NMU defender, and then a header was played just over the crossbar.
With five minutes to go, it was Grimaldi again, blocking a crucial shot in a dangerous area to keep the Cardinals off the board.
With under a minute to play, substitutes Gumbs and Rebori created chaos for goalkeeper Kay, and the duo stole the ball and were onto a breakaway. Rebori forced SVSU into a red card, and the ‘Cats played up a man for the final 45 seconds.
