MARQUETTE, Mich. - Northern Michigan's men's soccer team is looking to gain ground in the conference standings this weekend, as the team will face Saginaw Valley and Davenport this weekend.
The 'Cats come into the weekend with a 4-4-1 overall record and a 1-4-0 conference record. Second place in the GLIAC only has two conference wins, and with both the Panthers and Cardinals holding the same amount of GLIAC wins as the Wildcats, victories over these teams are crucial.
Currently fourth in the GLIAC, Davenport holds a record of 4-3-3 overall and 1-1-2 in the conference. The Panthers are on a three-game unbeatable streak and have scored two goals in all three of those contests.
The Cardinals of Saginaw Valley currently have a 5-4 overall record, and 1-3 record in conference. The Cardinals have had the upper hand against the Wildcats, as their historic record holds at 1-12-4; but the Cardinals find themselves on a three-game losing streak, and the story between the two clubs could be changed.
The Wildcats will face the Panthers on Friday, October 11 at 5 p.m., and the Cardinals on Sunday, October 13 at 2 p.m.
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Friday, October 11 - vs. Davenport at 5 PM
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Sunday, October 13 - vs. Saginaw Valley at 2 PM
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Hear From Alex Fatovic
"Last week I thought we demonstrated one of our core values, which is resilience, and that's what we have to harp on now."
Cat Nips
- The Wildcats generate plenty of offensive opportunities, as the team is first in the GLIAC and sixth in the nation in shots per game, averaging 17, and lead the GLIAC in shots on goal per game, averaging 6.56
- With that, the 'Cats are first in the GLIAC and 24th in the nation in corner kicks per game, averaging just north of six
- The 'Cats have done well on its own half of the park as well, as the team is first in the conference in goals-against average (1.00) and second in shutout percentage (0.333)
- Nils Cedergren is atop the conference in goalie minutes played (810:00), goals-against average (1.00), and shutouts (3)
- Alessandro Scialanga leads the Wildcats in points (8), goals (3), and assists (2)
- Scialanga leads Wildcat field players in minutes played with 808, all but two minutes of the season. Behind him are Quint Van Roij (801), Finn van den Berg (753), Tommaso Lami (747), and James Carr (705)
- Lami and Roij enter the weekend in foul trouble. Both on four yellow cards, one more booking will mean a one-match ban
- After being shown a red card in the match against Roosevelt, van den Berg must serve a one-match ban and cannot play against Davenport on Friday
A Look At Davenport
The Panthers are currently ranked 4th in the GLIAC, holding a record of 1-1-2 in conference, and 4-3-3 overall, and enter the weekend on a three-game unbeatable streak and have scored two goals in all three of those contests.
The Panthers are led by junior Andrew Dykstra, who has nine points, with four goals and one assist. Having not recorded a point in the first half of the season, Dykstra has amassed his four goals and nine points in the last five games and is on a three-game point streak (2-1--5).
Freshman Easton Lopez is runner-up in points (8) with four goals but has not found the score sheet in six straight matches. Junior Cam Power follows closely behind with seven points (two goals and three assists), and similar to Lopez, only has one assist in his previous six outings.
The last time the 'Cats played Davenport in Grand Rapids was a 3-0 loss in the first round of the 2023 GLIAC Tournament. The Wildcats have yet to find victory on the road to Davenport, holding a 0-5-3 away record, and will look to change that this weekend.
A Look at Saginaw Valley
Last season GLIAC Tournament Runners-Up, Saginaw Valley hold a 5-4 record overall, with a 1-3 conference record. The Cardinals find themselves in a rut, currently on a three-game losing streak with only one win in its last five matches. The Cardinals have been shut out its last two matches, with a 3-0 loss to Parkside and 1-0 loss to Purdue Northwest.
The team is led by senior Mzo Mthembu who holds 10 points, having scored five goals this season. Mthembu recorded a hat-trick and four goals in two games to start the season, but has since only scored once in his past five outings. Closely behind him is senior Jonny Monney, who currently has six points from scoring three goals.
The last time the 'Cats were in University Center was a year ago to the day come Sunday, on October 13, 2023, when the 'Cats equalized twice before conceding a goal in the final 10 minutes. Looking to rewrite history, the Wildcats are 1-5-2 against the Cardinals on the road, with the most recent win coming on October 25, 2019, a 3-0 win and third-straight victory for the Wildcats.
