Second Wildcat shutout in four games
HOUGHTON, Mich. — The NMU women’s soccer team concluded its five-game road stretch, defeating U.P. rivals Michigan Tech 4-0 on the campus of Michigan Tech.
The Wildcats (6-3-2, 3-3-1 GLIAC, 10 pts) offense was clicking on all cylinders today, producing four goals, four assists, 12 points, and 26 shot attempts with 16 of those on target. All of those numbers are season-highs in each of their respective categories on the season.
“We knew this was going to be a hard-fought game, and Tech gave us everything we could handle in the first 10 minutes,” added head coach Erin Egolf when speaking with nmuwildcats.com post-match. “Once we settled into the game, we were in control; our two first-half goals in back-to-back minutes were tremendous, we got a third early in the second half and put it away, and then our fourth goal was quality as well.
“This was a full team performance; the girls were up for it and delivered! Super thrilled for them, and happy with how this sets us up for the back half of our conference schedule. Good performance on the road against a hardworking team that never quit. Brilliant game from our group!”
NMU capped off its five-game road stretch, producing an impressive 3-1-1 record on the road, and garnering 10 GLIAC conference points to springboard the ‘Cats up the GLIAC standings. As head coach Egolf mentioned, her side will look to maintain its momentum as they look ahead; the next five of the final seven games of the regular season for the Green and Gold are at home.
After both sides settled into the match, the Wildcats opened the scoring in quick succession, as Sole Corley and Madison Bilbia produced two highlight-reel goals at 25:55 and 26:33, just 38 seconds apart. Corley finished off a pretty passing play from Alyse Daavettila and Avaa Buhlman, and Bilbia received a perfect cross from Maceroni before cutting back onto her right foot and hammering home a goal.
The ‘Cats came out of the locker room and added its third, as Madalyn Nissen converted on a penalty for her second goal of the season. Both of the captain defender’s tallies have come from penalty kicks. Riley Hill played in a deep ball from a free kick that landed on the boot of Ema Delgado, who corralled the service and found her footing to hit a perfectly struck ball.
Goalkeeper Carly Sides and the defense picked up its third clean sheet of the season, and the seventh instance on the campaign where the team has allowed one goal or fewer. Head coach Egolf and her side have two clean sheets and only two goals allowed in the past four games.
After a lengthy five-game road spell, the ‘Cats will now enjoy five straight home matches, starting with the lone regular-season meeting between the ‘Cats and the Purdue Northwest Lions on Friday, October 3, at 3 p.m. ET.
