The Wildcats women’s soccer team have a packed weekend with Senior Night and matchups against top GLIAC team Ashland University and underdog Tiffin University at the NMU soccer field.

On the road this past weekend the Wildcats fell 0-1 to Walsh University Friday, Oct. 14 at Milazzo Field.

Senior goalie Alexandra Simmons totaled five saves for the ’Cats, allowing one in the net. NMU sent five shots during play, all on goal.

Assistant coach Haley Boroughf said although the ’Cats didn’t win the game, it was a good matchup.

“Walsh was a pretty tight game. We played well, but they were a really good counterattack team,” Boroughf said. “We got unfortunate in the last couple minutes. With a penalty kick called against us, they scored.”

Simmons is ranked second for goalies in the GLIAC for saves.

Head coach David Poggi said it’s not that the ball didn’t bounce for both teams, but Walsh’s familiarity with the field surface is one of the leading reasons it went down to wire.

“It’s quite a bit different than most of the other fields,” Poggi said. “Soccer fields aren’t all the same like basketball courts are. The field was a little narrow but a lot short. It made it more difficult to posses the ball and I think we are more of a possession-type team.”

The ’Cats bounced back with a 2-0 shutout against Lake Erie Storm on Sunday, Oct. 16 at Jack Britt Memorial Field.

After a scoreless first half, sophomore forward Casey Durand put one on the board for NMU in the 48th minute. Junior forward Madison Hamilla scored the next goal for NMU, and the last of the game.

Poggi said from a positive viewpoint, NMU backline and goalkeeping have kept the team together this season by stabilizing the opponents’ strengths.

Junior defensive player Allyssa Milam said the ’Cats are going to open the game with high energy on the field this weekend, making both opponents beatable.

“As always we are looking for a win at home this weekend, specifically creating more scoring opportunities from the flank and capitalizing,” Milam said. “I personally am excited for Senior Night. We have a great senior class and I’m determined to perform for them this Sunday.”

The ’Cats look to face Tiffin at 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21 at the NMU soccer field.

The Tiffin University Dragons are last in the GLIAC at number 12. The Dragons have lost the past two games with a 1-7 GLIAC record and 2-12 overall. On Friday and Sunday Tiffin fell to Northwood University and Saginaw Valley State University on home turf. The Dragon’s junior goalkeeper Samantha Ortenzi is ranked first for saves in the GLIAC with a total of 126 this season.

NMU will face off against the Ashland University Eagles at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 23 at the NMU soccer field.

Ashland has a 5-2-1 conference record placing the Eagles at number three in the GLIAC. They have 16 points so far this season, compared to NMU’s 8 points.

Ashland lost one at home for this first time this season against Northwood in double overtime. The Eagles put up 31 shots against Northwood. This was the most shots attempted since 2008 for the women’s soccer team.

Poggi said although the Wildcats will battle a top conference leader and a bottom of the pack team in the GLIAC, this weekend NMU women’s soccer won’t let conference standings predict what will happen on the field.

“We played two teams from Ohio and if they switched uniforms, you wouldn’t know who is who,” Poggi said.  “When they’re wearing their uniforms, you can see where they are in the standings. I think of it as a mistake to think anybody’s not going to give you everything they got because of where they are in the standings. I also think it’s a mistake to assume somebody has a great record that they are going to bring it that day.”