MARQUETTE, Mich. - As the No. 9 nationally ranked Bemidji State Beavers visited Marquette on Friday afternoon, the Wildcats started strong, fell behind, and tied it back up before the final horn sounded for a 3-3 draw. 

The 'Cats applied the pressure early in the first half, pushing across ten shots to just two for the Beavers. It was a high-scoring first with NMU goals from Brenna Musser and Caitlyn Trombley with a Beaver goal sandwiched between. 

Bemidji knotted things up 2-2 with just over 20 minutes to go in the game and scored again a few minutes later off a free kick for the 3-2 edge.  

Justina L'Esperance responded with a goal down the right side with just eight minutes left to tie it back up 3-3 and that's where things would finish. NMU is now 2-0-1 on the young season. 

"I'm really proud of the way my team played," Justina L'Esperance said after the game. " We had to deal with the wind in the second half and everyone worked very hard and didn't give up even when we were down a goal. Bemidji has a really good team so we knew we had to play good and I think we did great job."


First Half
Ten minutes into action, Justina L'Esperance sent a crosser and Molly Pistorius redirected to teammate Brenna Musser who found the netting for an early 1-0 edge for the 'Cats.

NMU kept the chances coming, as a header just missed from Musser off a corner and Natalie Stampfly found a quality shot on goal shortly after, but the Beavers kept it at 1-0. 

The Beavers' Allyson Smith knotted it at 1-1 as she found herself with a breakout and got around the goalkeeper for the score at 20'. 

A minute later, Pistorius took to the left foot, but her shot from outside the box sailed just over the crossbar as the game stayed tied. 

Caitlyn Trombley took to a corner kick and utilized the high winds, curving a perfectly placed ball to the far corner and over the keeper for a highlight-reel goal and the lead with 15 minutes left in the half. 

NMU dominated play much of the half, outshooting the Beavers 10-2 as they held a 2-1 advantage at the intermission. 


Second Half
The first shots of the half came from the Beavers and they found themselves with a great opportunity at 56', but the shot sailed wide right. 

Bemidji tied things up at two apiece in the 68th minute on a ricochet goal from Katrina Barthlet. 

In the 75th minute, the Beavers took advantage of a free kick opportunity and went in front 3-2. 

As she has in each game to start the year, Justina L'Esperance found the nylon for NMU on a goal with eight minutes to play to tie it 3-3. 


A Look at the Stats
Justina L'Esperance has scored in each game this season and leads the team with three tallies. Her seven points (3G, 1A) currently ties her atop the GLIAC leaderboard. 

Brenna Musser picked up her second goal of the campaign while Caitlyn Trombley registered her first. 

NMU outshot BSU 12-7 and held a 8-4 edge in shots on target. 


Up Next
The Green and Gold will host Minnesota Crookston on Sunday, September 4 to finish off the non-conference schedule. The opening kick is scheduled for noon.