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Weekend Recap - 10/6

General Braden Golisek - Assistant Director of Sports Information

Weekend Recap in NMU Athletics: 9/29 - 10/5

Gramme makes NCAA History, Swim and Dive open season with dominant performance, Men's Soccer earn three points on the road, and more!

Hockey - at No. 15 UMass
  • Saturday - 5-3 loss
  • Sunday - 4-1 loss
In his first start as a Wildcat in the first game of the 2025/26 season, goaltender William Gramme made 65 saves on 69 shots faced, setting a program record for most saves in a game (previous record - 57,  John Corrigan vs. Boston College, on 12/8/1984) and was one save shy of matching a modern NCAA record for most saves in a regulation game, the most saves in a regulation game since Jocelyn Guimond of RIT stopped 66 in a 3-2 win on October 10, 2005, vs St. Lawrence. Gramme also stopped 34 in the first period, setting a program record for most saves in a period (previous record - 27, Craig Kowalski vs. Michigan, on 10/24/2003, 2nd period). The 'Cats got goals from Joe Schiller, Caiden Gault, and Medrick Bolduc, and a multi-point game from Jakub Altrichter. NMU held a 3-2 lead in the third, before a pair of lucky goals from the Minutemen gave them the lead before sealing it with an empty net goal.

After making 65 the night before, Gramme came back less than 24 hours later and made 42 on Sunday, setting a program record for most saves in a weekend series with 107 (previous record - 92, Jeff Poeschl vs. Wisconsin, Jan. 3 to Jan. 4, 1984). Gault scored his second of the weekend to cut the Minutemen lead to one with three minutes to go, but a pair of empty-net goals in the final minute would seal the deal. 


Football
  • 47-25 loss at Saginaw Valley
In a marathon contest lasting more than three and a half hours, the Northern Michigan football team fell 47-25 to the Saginaw Valley State Cardinals on Saturday afternoon at Wickes Stadium. 

Though the Wildcats outscored SVSU 22-14 in the second half, a 26-point second quarter from the home team proved too much to overcome. NMU found the end zone three times, courtesy of Noah Dobert, Jahi Wood, and Sebastian Boyea, while the Cardinals recorded six touchdowns on the day.


Volleyball
  • 3-2 win at Saginaw Valley
  • 3-0 win at Lake Superior State
The Northern Michigan volleyball team picked up its third straight victory, and first on the road this season, by outlasting Saginaw Valley State in a five-set battle on Friday night. 

Northern's attack was firing on all cylinders, producing a season-best .280 hitting percentage with 64 kills. For the third time this year, balance was the key to victory, as four Wildcats finished with double-digit kills. Senior McKenzie Gruner led the way with a career-high 16 on an efficient .394 clip, marking her third straight match with 13 or more. Gruner also added 1.5 blocks. 

The Northern Michigan volleyball team wasted little time on Saturday, rolling past Upper Peninsula rival Lake Superior State in straight sets, 25-20, 25-19, and 25-11.

Senior outside hitter McKenzie Gruner continued her dominant stretch, following up Friday's career-high performance with another 16-kill effort. She tallied at least five kills in every set and hit an impressive .556 while adding two blocks at the net. It is also her fourth straight match with at least 13 kills. Outside hitters Kaysie Bakke and Kaylie McIntosh added nine and seven kills, respectively, while McIntosh contributed two service aces. Setter Allie Barlow directed the offense with 27 assists and added three digs, while libero Liesl Haugen led the team with 16 digs. NMU also tallied six service aces and five team blocks, highlighting both the Wildcats' offensive balance and defensive presence at the net.

Women's Soccer
  • 2-1 win over Ferris State
  • 3-3 draw to Saginaw Valley
After a scoreless first hour of play, the Wildcats went down 1-0 after Ferris State converted from a set piece. After NMU kept pressing, the 'Cats would flip this game on its head, as Hannah Kastamo scored a pair of goals just four minutes apart within the final moments of the match, earning a critical three points. This result marked the second time in program history that the Wildcats have come back to win after trailing the Bulldogs (the only other instance came on October 1, 2005, also a 2-1 decision), and NMU also maintained its unbeaten streak, moving to 7-0-1 against Ferris in the last eight games.

The Wildcats had the wind to start the match, and they took advantage, as goals from Kastamo and Madison Bilbia gave NMU a 2-0 lead going into the halftime break. NMU outshot the Cardinals 7-1 in the first half, including holding 61% possession total. The 'Cats came out of the gates and scored into the wind just five minutes into the second half, as Irene Kiilunen continued her scoring from the back end, sending a screamer into the upper left corner, and the Wildcats were poised to exit the weekend securing all three points. But the Cardinals had other ideas, as three goals in the final 33 minutes from Madi Bajis, Maddie White, and an equalizer with a minute left from Emily Kolodin ended the Wildcats hopes for a weekend sweep.


Men's Soccer
  • 2-0 win over St. Cloud State
The Wildcats opened the scoring 25 minutes into the game, earning a penalty from a hand-ball after minutes of sustained offensive pressure and dangerous chances to score. Luca Rosen was elected to take the penalty, and he made no mistake in finishing his right-footed attempt at goal, beating the keeper to the bottom right. The 'Cats put the nail in the coffin late in the second half, putting the game away with five minutes left. Tyler Kowalczyk made a terrific defensive effort and played a long ball to a streaking Ian Weimer. Weimer played a pass to Teun Van Gansewinkel, who dribbled around the keeper and fired a shot that got blocked by a defender. The ball shot up in the air, and Weimer was there to knock the header in. Goalkeeper Asaf Kristal and the Wildcats got the fourth shutout of the season, as the netminder made four saves.


Women's Swim and Dive
  • NMU vs SCSU vs DU vs LSSU
    • Friday, two sessions - 1st, 830 pts
    • Saturday, one session - 1st, 501 pts
On Friday, the women's swim and dive team dominated the season opener, claiming first place in every event.  Along with controlling the top of the podium, NMU found 27 of a possible 39 podium places. On Saturday, team had another impressive showing, winning every event again, sweeping the podium on four separate occasions, and securing 20 of a possible 24 podium spots. 


Men's Swim and Dive
  • NMU vs SCSU vs DU vs LSSU
    • Friday, two sessions - 1st, 746 pts
    • Saturday, one session - 1st, 396 pts
On Friday, the men's swim and dive team opened the 25/26 campaign with a bang, claiming first in 11 of the 13 events. Along with an impressive running atop the podiums, NMU found 22 of a possible 39 podium places. On Saturday, NMU claimed six of a possible eight first-place finishes and 14 of a possible 24 podium positions, including sweeping the 100 free.

Men's Golf
  • Motor City Shakedown - 4th of 5, +57
The Wildcats had a great tournament, posting a three-round total of 921 (+57), just five strokes shy of tying the tenth-best three-round score in NMU men's golf history. The 'Cats also and carded 34 birdies, the fourth-most team birdies in 54 holes of play (behind three tournaments with 37 recorded birdies). The 15 birdies in round one matches the tenth-best team birdie count in 18 holes, and the 23 birdies in two rounds is just two shy of cracking the top ten in program history. Leading the charge for the 'Cats was Tyler Annala, who shot rounds of 71 (-1), 79 (+7), and 78 (+6) for a three round total of 288 (+12), finishing 14th among the field. Annala's opening round 71 featured six birdies, matching the six he recorded on this exact date at this exact tournament last season, one birdie shy of matching the program record.



 
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Players Mentioned

Jakub Altrichter

#14 Jakub Altrichter

F
5' 11"
Sophomore
Medrick Bolduc

#13 Medrick Bolduc

F
5' 9"
Sophomore
Joe Schiller

#2 Joe Schiller

D
6' 0"
Sophomore
William Gramme

#1 William Gramme

G
6' 3"
Junior
Caiden Gault

#16 Caiden Gault

F
6' 0"
Senior
Kaysie Bakke

#7 Kaysie Bakke

OH
6' 1"
Junior
Allie Barlow

#21 Allie Barlow

S
5' 9"
Junior
McKenzie Gruner

#5 McKenzie Gruner

MB
6' 2"
Senior
Liesl Haugen

#16 Liesl Haugen

L/DS
5' 7"
Junior
Kaylie McIntosh

#14 Kaylie McIntosh

OH
6' 1"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Jakub Altrichter

#14 Jakub Altrichter

5' 11"
Sophomore
F
Medrick Bolduc

#13 Medrick Bolduc

5' 9"
Sophomore
F
Joe Schiller

#2 Joe Schiller

6' 0"
Sophomore
D
William Gramme

#1 William Gramme

6' 3"
Junior
G
Caiden Gault

#16 Caiden Gault

6' 0"
Senior
F
Kaysie Bakke

#7 Kaysie Bakke

6' 1"
Junior
OH
Allie Barlow

#21 Allie Barlow

5' 9"
Junior
S
McKenzie Gruner

#5 McKenzie Gruner

6' 2"
Senior
MB
Liesl Haugen

#16 Liesl Haugen

5' 7"
Junior
L/DS
Kaylie McIntosh

#14 Kaylie McIntosh

6' 1"
Freshman
OH