All six goals scored in final 27 minutes
CHICAGO – The NMU women’s soccer team opened conference play by earning its first win of the Erin Egolf era, coming as a 4-2 decision over the Roosevelt Lakers.
After a scoreless first hour of play, the floodgates opened in the second half, as the two teams combined for six goals in an explosive final half an hour.
The Wildcats (1-1-3 overall, 1-0-0 GLIAC), who scored one goal in four contests heading into this game, got goals from four different players in today’s offensive outburst. The Lakers (2-2-0 overall, 0-1-0 GLIAC) dropped its opening game of the conference slate ahead of the team’s meeting with Michigan Tech on Sunday, allowing four or more goals against for the first time this season.
An offensive frenzy, the Wildcats got goal contributions from Marena Maceroni (1g, 1a), Madison Bilbia (1g), Alyse Daavettila (1g), Addison Frantti (1g), Gretchen Ellis (1a), and Kenna Alexander (1a). Maceroni tacked on her first career assist before scoring her first career goal just 20 minutes apart, Frantti and Ellis both earned their first career Wildcat points, and Bilbia and Daavetilla both tallied their first goals of the season.
A warm game in Illinois, the match had a pair of stoppages due to the heat, and the Wildcats saw nine players make appearances from the bench, with six of those playing 17+ minutes. Along with netminder Jillian Thompson, only two athletes played the full ninety minutes, those being Hannah Kastamo and Irene Kiilunen.
The Wildcats controlled play, outshooting the Lakers 22-7 with 12 on target to three, and earning seven corner kicks to none. The Wildcats set 2025 single-game highs in points (11), goals (4), assists (3), shots, shots on goal, and matched its season-high seven corner kicks.
How It Happened
After the Wildcats controlled and dominated play for a majority of the first hour of play, it was the Lakers who opened the scoring. The Lakers had a throw-in deep in the Wildcat half, and Daisy Hernandez-Loya sent what looked like a cross into the box. Thompson came out to calmly to handle it, as there were no Laker forwards around, but the ball went through her hands and into the upper left corner of the box.
But the Wildcats would respond emphatically, scoring a pair of goals less than 30 seconds apart. Just about a minute after the Laker goal, the Wildcats marched down the field, and Maceroni played a perfectly placed cross into the box that found a cutting Bilbia, who used her thigh to direct the ball into the back of the net.
Temperatures were hot at the field, and following the goal was a break for players to get water. Immediately following the break and the ensuing kickoff, NMU marched down the field and scored again, with the pair coming just 23 seconds apart. Ellis played a lovely pass to Daavettila, who was behind the defense, made her move around the keeper, who came off her line, and finished emphatically.
The Lakers evened the game with 15 minutes to go, converting on a Wildcat turnover. A ball was played back to Thompson, who went to play a pass, but didn’t get the strike off before Carisma Rosales could get a foot on it. The deflection landed on the foot of Hernandez-Loya, who scored into an open net from about 20 yards out.
After a Frantti header was denied by the netminder from just outside of the goalkeeper’s box, the Wildcats converted its opportunity on the ensuing corner kick. Alexander played a ball to the near post, and it was Frantti who was there again, but this time her header scored. In just about the same spot where her shot attempt was that earned the corner attempt, she got another solid contact on the ball, directing it past the keeper and regaining the lead with 10 minutes remaining.
Maceroni capped off the wild second half with a goal, corralling the ball before spinning towards goal. Her left-footed effort curled into the bottom left of the frame, extending the Wildcat lead to two with six minutes remaining.
Up Next
The road trip concludes in Wisconsin, with the ‘Cats traveling to Kenosha to take on the Parkside Rangers on Sunday, September 21. That kick-off is set for 1 p.m. ET.
