Fall to Purdue Northwest 3-0
MARQUETTE, Mich. – The Northern Michigan University men’s soccer team played a hard-nosed match against Purdue Northwest, ultimately falling 3-0 to the Pride.
The Pride took the lead in the 31st minute of the 1st half, with a goal from Martin Murillo, who took a shot far outside of the 18-yard box and dropped the ball into the top right corner of the Wildcat’s net.
The Wildcats generated opportunities left and right, but were unable to find the back of the net.
Both of Purdue’s next two goals came in the second half, with placements into the bottom right corner from Jacob Battista and Christian Booth.
Kyle Cameron was shown a red card in the 85th minute, being sent off for the remainder of the match. Leaving the Wildcats a man down for the last five minutes, the Pride took the match with a 3-0 win.
The Wildcats now move to 5-8-2 overall, with a conference record of 2-8-1.
How It Happened
The Wildcats’ offense started the game off strong. Keeping the ball in Purdue’s defensive half for most of the first 15 minutes, the ‘Cats received multiple goal-scoring opportunities and free kicks.
In the 16th minute, Alessandro Scialanga took the ball up the left sideline and was able to get a shot off, but unfortunately placed it into the outside netting of the upper left corner.
Just four minutes later, captain Tommaso Lami was able to earn the Wildcats their first corner kick after his shot was saved by Pride goalkeeper Mateus Baptista de Souza. Although Northern wasn’t able to get anything from the corner, the Wildcats’ fight never led up.
In the 31st minute, Purdue’s Martin Murillo received a ball on the right side of the field from midfielder Kenzo Fukugava. After settling the ball, Murillo took a shot about 10 feet outside of the 18-yard box and dropped it into the top right corner of the net.
With the Pride up by one, the Wildcats were determined to level the scoreboard. In the 33rd minute, Lami took a shot in the left side of the 18 yard-box. Initially punched out by Baptista de Souza, another Wildcat tried to get a second shot off, which looked as if the ball went over the goal line, but the sideline ref called no goal.
The Wildcats ended the first half down 0-1, with a total of 13 fouls given out to the two teams, four corners awarded to the Wildcats versus three for the Pride, and four shots on goal from the Wildcats compared to the Pride who had two shots on goal.
To start the second half, the Pride’s Tobias Crosariol took a shot, trying to place it into the right corner, but Wildcat goalkeeper Harry Gray made an incredible diving save to keep the ball out of the net.
In the 64th minute, Jacob Battista found a second goal for Purdue with an easy placement into the bottom right corner to put the Pride up by two.
Halfway into the second half, Wildcat Kyle Cameron earned Northern a free kick right outside the 18-yard box. Scialanga came up to the plate to take the kick, but his shot was deflected by Baptista de Souza, and eventually cleared out of the box by the Pride.
With 3 minutes remaining, Christian Booth took the ball off the foot of a missed clearance from the Wildcat defense. Taking Gray on for a one-on-one inside the 18-yard box, Booth was able to find a third goal for the Pride, as he placed it into the bottom right corner of the Wildcat’s net.
The Wildcats were unable to find the back of the net, and the match ended with the Pride up 3-0.
Cat Nips
- The Wildcats took 13 shots in total, having eight shots on target, versus Purdue’s eight shots in total, having five shots on target.
- The ‘Cats took the advantage in corner kicks with eight opposed to the Pride’s seven
- An aggressive battle ended with Northern and Purdue being penalized 16 times each, as the Wildcats were shown three yellow cards and one red, versus Purdue who was shown four yellow cards
- Kyle Cameron received a red card in the 85th minute, putting the ‘Cats down a player for the rest of the half
- Quint Van Roij received his 5th yellow card of the season, putting Van Roij on a one-game suspension for the Wildcat’s next match
- Scialanga, Lami, and Isaac Cervantes played the full 90 minutes of the game
Up Next
The Wildcats will face UW Parkside for their last regular-season match on November 3 at 2:30 PM ET.
