MARQUETTE, Mich – The second match of the year for the Northern Michigan University women's soccer team was another offensive show. The team earned a 5-1 win over the University of Minnesota-Duluth. 

QUICK SCORE

Justina L'Esperance notched the first goal of the match, and first for the Wildcats in a regular-season contest, on an assist from Caroline Halonen in the 5th minute. 

Halonen sent a long pass to the right that found L'Esperance running into the box. The Freshman then sent the ball into the left of the net.

GOAL #2

Halonen provided the second goal of the contest, with an assist from a Brooke Pietila corner kick finding the head of the midfielder who sent it into the net.

ANOTHER TWO

Two Wildcats scored early in the second half with the first coming when Isabelle Brusilow found the back of the net on an assist from Halonen in the 49th minute.

Brusilow beat two defenders on her way to the score.

Halonen scored her second goal of the game on a penalty kick to put the Wildcats up 4-0.

CLOSING IT OUT

The Bulldogs were able to score a goal in the 61st minute to avoid the shutout.

NMU found the back of the net one last time in the contest with transfer Alexa DeKam netting her first goal as a Wildcat on an assist from Gwen Kiilunen. 

DeKam sent the ball to the left past the extended hand of the Minnesota-Duluth keeper.

The home team took home the victory 5-1.

STAT LEADERS

The Wildcats were one shot shy of having double the amount of the opposition. NMU had 27 total shots to the Bulldogs' 14. The home-standing Wildcats outshot Minnesota-Duluth in shots on goal 18-9. 

Caroline Halonen led the NMU team and all match players in shots with six total and five on goal. The senior added two goals and an assist.

Eight Wildcats took shots on goal with four NMU student-athletes scoring for the 'Cats.

Goalkeeper Shenae Kreps collected her second win of the year. She was in net all 90 minutes and had eight saves.

WILDCAT TALK

"It was a good game. We proved that we can score in a lot of different ways," said senior midfielder Caroline Halonen. 

"We had a lot of people involved in our attack. We have some things we need to clean up on the defensive end over the next few games. Overall I think it was a good showing," concluded Halonen.

UP NEXT

The Wildcats embark on their first road trip of the year next weekend. NMU will travel to Winona State University on Friday, Sept. 7 at 6 p.m.