MARQUETTE, Mich. — The Northern Michigan men's soccer team took on Lake Erie in its first home game Friday afternoon at the NMU Soccer Field.

The Storm downed the Wildcats on the strength of a Jesse Schluter goal scored in the 75th minute of the match.

Six minutes earlier, Sveinn Karlsson had a chance to put Northern Michigan on top when he was awarded a penalty kick. He decided to go for the lower right corner, and Hugo Fauroux read his move and made the save.

Schltuer's game-deciding strike came after a corner kick; Stuart Campbell corralled the ball and sent it across to Chad Bencina on the right edge of the box. Bencina then found Schluter stationed alone by the left post for the tap-in goal.

In the 26th minute, Campbell nearly put Lake Erie on the board by taking advantage of a Wildcat turnover in tight. His shot beat Brin Lapuh but trickled just to the left of the left post.

Northern Michigan's best chance of the first half came in the 39th minute when Sam Popp beat two Storm defenders to the ball and hammered a shot over the crossbar.

In the 60th minute, Kevin Hoof saved a sure Storm goal to keep the game scoreless, sweeping a Campbell bid that got behind Lapuh wide just before it could cross the line.

Fauroux made five saves to earn the shutout. Lapuh turned aside four shots. Ben Hoffman led the Wildcats with four shots, one of which was on target.

Northern Michigan returns to action Sunday, hosting Walsh at 4 p.m.