Over the weekend, the Wildcats were stomped out 13-41 by the Saginaw Valley State Cardinals putting an end to NMU’s 2-game win streak and bumping the Cardinals to fourth in the conference.
The Wildcats now stand tied for sixth with the Tiffin University Dragons in the GLIAC with the conference record of 3-2.
Head coach Chris Ostrowsky said that the team’s frequent turnovers over the weekend were “uncharacteristic” to how the team has been performing. He added that the team hasn’t turned the ball over that much since early in 2014’s season.
“We have to tackle better on defense and I think we’ve got to score when we have our opportunities to do so,“ Ostrowsky said. “We got to get back to Wildcat football and take care of business and that means taking care of the football.”
The game stood at a stalemate until late in the first quarter when a field goal from Saginaw Valley would mark the first lead of the game 0-3.
Northern Michigan claimed their first and only lead in the second quarter after a 52-yard reception from senior wide receiver Paris Woods put the Wildcats at the Cardinals’ 2-yard line. A pass from senior quarterback Shaye Brown connected with freshman halfback Mitch Heaton for NMU’s first touchdown. A successful field goal attempt from freshman kicker John Kwiecinski gave the Wildcats the extra point, bringing the game to 7-3.
The Cardinals answered back with a touchdown and a field goal to cap off the second quarter, then continued to distance themselves from the ’Cats and managed to pull 27 points over NMU with 5:33 left in the fourth quarter.
Sophomore running back Jake Mayon pulled off his sixth touchdown of the season, a 4-yard rush into the endzone with roughly two minutes left in the game. The final score in the match up came from Saginaw Valley with 0:44 left on the clock bringing the final score to 13-41.
“It hurts that we lost, but I think we are going to come back, work harder this week and be able to come out, hopefully, with a victory,” freshmen offensive linemen Anthony Herbert said.
The Wildcats take a break from the action but will return next week when they head down to Big Rapids, Michigan, to take on the nationally 14th ranked Ferris State Bulldogs.
Last time these two teams met, the Wildcats were downed 49-39 by the Bulldogs at the Superior Dome.
Senior defensive back C.J. Washington said he believed the key to success for this upcoming game is for players to refrain from making high-risk decisions and to function as a unit.
“I have to stay disciplined and stay on my guy when he’s scrambling and know that my teammate is going to make that play for me,” Washington added.
“One-hundred and ten percent effort is expected from every Wildcat player,” Washington said also adding that the team’s main goal, as always, is to win.
