CANTON, Ohio -- The Northern Michigan University women's soccer team took a 1-0 lead just 5:43 into the game and that proved to be all they needed as the Wildcats shutout Malone 4-0 in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference action Sunday.

The win pushed NMU to 4-6-1 on the season with a 2-4 record in league action.

"It was a great weekend for us," said NMU head coach Matt Granstrand. "We are a young team but we are also mature and love to compete."

Sophomore Paula Hafner scored her first of two goals in the contest when senior defender Kim Rietveld fed her the ball and she fired a shot high into the middle of the net.

Freshman Abby Cook then scored her second goal of the season when she took a feed from junior midfielder Helen Kiilunen in the 12th minute (11:59) adding an insurance goal for NMU and take a 2-0 lead.

The Wildcats maintained a 2-0 lead into the break, but struck quickly as the second half opened. Hafner again teamed up with Rietveld and scored her eighth goal of the season in the 51st minute (50:02). Hafner took the pass from Rietveld, shook off a defender and converted the scoring chance to give NMU a 3-0 lead.

Hafner recorded her fifth point of the match when she assisted on the final goal of the contest by sophomore midfielder Wynona Maravilla in the 65th minute (64:16). Hafner crossed the ball into Maravilla who converted the shot to give NMU the final 4-0 lead.

Sophomore goalkeeper Caroline Glantz recorded the win for the Wildcats making seven saves in 66:30 of action in net. The Wildcats dominated the offensive possession against Malone outshooting the Pioneers 26-15 in the contest.

Hafner led all players with seven shots in the match while Maravilla had four.

NMU returns home for pair of weekend GLIAC contests hosting Tiffin in a 4 p.m. contest Friday (Oct. 17) and Findlay in a noon matchup on Sunday (Oct. 19).