The Northern Michigan University women’s soccer team will hit the road this weekend to travel to the “Buckeye State” to compete against two conference-based teams.

The team will kick the weekend off with the first game at 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10 against the Lake Erie College Storm. The second conference game will be faced against the Malone University Pioneers at noon Sunday, Oct. 12.

Last weekend, the Wildcats hosted Walsh University and Ohio Dominican University in GLIAC conference play.

The ‘Cats fell to Walsh 4-3 in overtime Friday, Oct. 3, and fell to Ohio Dominican 3-2 in double overtime, Sunday, Oct. 5. Despite the two losses, head coach Matt Granstrand said the team is hungry to start getting some wins and get back to the top.

“They know we’re rebuilding, they know the talent is here and we know that we’re playing good teams and are taking them into overtime,” Granstrand said. “This is a very mature team. They know what [the game] is about and how to do it.”

Freshman center midfielder Abby Cook said it’s important to keep working hard and working through.

“I think we did a really good job of holding our heads high,” Cook said. “I know in both games we stayed in it the whole game, obviously making it into overtime. We just need to make sure we persevere through everything, even when times seem a little bit shaky. When we are physically tired, just keep working through.”

On Sunday, Sept. 22, 2013 the NMU women’s soccer team had a 3-0 win against the Lake Erie College Storm.

The ’Cats earned another 3-0 win on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2013 against Malone University Pioneers. Freshman forward Dani DeFries said she is ready to see what the weekend brings.

“I’m looking forward to just going down there and playing,” DeFries said. “I’m ready to see how we will hold up with other teams.”

Lake Erie is 2-2 in conference and 5-4 overall, while Malone is 0-6 in the conference and 1-8 overall.

Granstrand said he has a set goal for the upcoming weekend.

“We really try to do our thing and make them adjust to us. That is the key,” Granstrand said.

“In soccer it’s really a clash of styles and you try to make that [opposing] team change for you, and that will be our goal for the weekend.”

In the face of a 10 hour-long ride to Ohio, Granstrand said traveling has it’s ups and downs.

“In some ways, traveling is easier. You play at home on Friday, you go to school all day, you get out of class and come to play a game. That is hard,” Granstrand said. “Traveling is hard in a different way, but we are together. A lot of team bonding takes place.”