Findlay ends Wildcats’ season 3-1
FINDLAY, Ohio — The 2026 campaign has come to an end, as the Wildcats bow out of the NCAA Tournament to the Findlay Oilers in the second round.
Despite the loss, the season will still go down as one of the best, as the ‘Cats had its highest regular-season GLIAC finish, made it to the round of 32, and earned 10 wins in the season for the first time in program history.
“Obviously super proud of the guys. They played fantastic,” added head coach Alex Fatovic during his post-game media availability after the 3-1 loss. Fatovic saw his team take a 1-0 lead in the first half and generate chances to equalize before the Oilers added the third with a minute to go. “They followed the game plan and got the early goal, but anytime you’re on the road in the NCAA tournament, it’s going to be a tough game. [There were] a couple of things here and there that we could have done differently, but I think the guys played fantastic, and we poured our hearts into it.”
On the match, the shot totals were even at 16-17 with eight on target to five, but the match was tilted in the favor of NMU in possession, who had a 68% possession advantage after the first half before ending with 56% possession, with 71% of that coming in the attacking zone. The Wildcats fired everything they had toward goal, but were unable to solve the goalkeeper, Ethan Hensley.
“I think the difference was their goalkeeper,” said Fatovic, noting the six saves that netminder Hensley accumulated, stopping numerous dangerous chances from the Wildcats’ offense. “He made a bunch of saves to keep us out; we couldn’t convert the equalizer, and ended up losing late.
“The team showed that they are of the class of the NCAA Tournament. Final 32 in the country is amazing; just super disappointed for how much effort and intensity they put into this one game to not get a result. But, we’ll rest and recover, and we’ll be back again next year and hopefully get another chance at it.”
How It Happened
Noah Girard had to be subbed off momentarily due to a bloody nose, and athletic trainer Katrina Brown went to work and was able to get Girard back in play just minutes later.
The Wildcats then struck first, opening the scoring after converting on a long throw-in from the return substitution of Girard. His throw into the box found the towering head of Jonah Wallace, who flicked on to the boot of Davian Gumbs, who smashed home the opening goal in the 17th minute of play. Gumbs notched his first goal of the season, and the Wallace assist is his first career point as a Wildcat.
The Oilers responded five minutes later from a deflection. After the ‘Cats defended a corner kick, the clearing attempt landed on the foot of Carson Oberski, whose shot deflected off Wallace and redirected past the keeper, Asaf Kristal.
The Oilers thought they found the lead, converting on a passing play from in tight, but the line judge raised his flag for offsides, and the match remained level.
Luca Rosen, who was out of the starting eleven due to a lingering injury he sustained the weekend prior to the GLIAC tournament, subbed on with 15 minutes left in the half, and had a great look at goal minutes later. A back heel pass from Sergio Cano Castro landed perfectly to Rosen, whose left-footed strike was stopped by the outstretched hand of the keeper, Ethan Hensley.
In the first half, the Oilers held a slight advantage in shot attempts at 8-6, while the Wildcats recorded three shots on target to two. The ‘Cats controlled play in the first half, holding a 68% possession advantage in the first half, with 89% of that coming in the Oiler defensive half.
Marcos Gallardo Rozano came up big to keep the game level, as a header eluded the goalkeeper Kristal and he used his head to clear off the line. The Oilers converted on a long two in moments later, as the throw from Tyler Pawlicki found the head of Andre Sardinha, and the Oilers earned its first lead of the game.
The ‘Cats counter-punched, and Gumbs had a quality look from inside the area. His confident strike was touched by the keeper before hitting the left post square, and the Oilers escaped unscathed. Just after the 25-minute mark and his last action before being subbed out, Rosen was one-on-one with the keeper after chasing down a long ball. His strike was confident, but right into the chest of the keeper.
The ‘Cats were surging after that, with dangerous chances from Ian Weimer, James Carr, and Gumbs, and the Wildcats had all the momentum in its favor. Carr had another chance that just narrowly missed the left post, Cano Castro had a chance from inside the area that was just off target, and Wallace headed a header of his own that was cleared off the line with five minutes to spare.
As the Wildcats were pressing hard to find the equalizer, the Oilers scored against the run of play, putting the finishing touches on a 3-1 win with a minute and a half to go.
