Ian Weimer's brace and golden-goal aided the Wildcats to a GLIAC Semifinal win on Friday

Men's Soccer 11/15/2025 11:44:00 AM Braden Golisek - Assistant Director of Sports Information

PREVIEW: #3 Wildcats Face #1 Cardinals in 2025 GLIAC Championship

SAGINAW VALLEY, Mich. -- The NMU men's soccer team is gearing up for a GLIAC Championship match for the first time in program history.

The #3 seeded Wildcats (8-4-6, 6-4-2 GLIAC) defeated the #2 seeded Roosevelt Lakers 2-1 in overtime to advance to the finals. The Wildcats now play the #1 Saginaw Valley State Cardinals (11-2-4, 9-2-1 GLIAC) on its home turf to determine the GLIAC Postseason Championship.

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"I think a lot of teams make the mistake of saying that its just another game, and it's not. Everything we've worked for is on the line. We're going to try and keep things the same, but its a final; there's things that are going to be different and things that are going to be challenging for us to overcome."

Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. from the Robert C. Braddock Field on Sunday, November 16. Fans can watch the live stream at FloCollege, and follow along with live stats at nmuwildcats.com.

The Cardinals have now been in the GLIAC Championship game for four straight seasons, hosting the final four in three of those campaigns.

"[The Cardinals] are an experienced team, and we're the underdogs, that's just the way it goes. If we play the way we played yesterday, with the heart and fight and spirit, they're going to give themselves a chance. Both teams are trying to make the national tournament, so everything is on the line, and it's going to be the team that blinks first that loses."

A truly inspirational story, the Wildcats hosted the GLIAC Quarterfinals for just the second time in program history, and are in the 2025 GLIAC Championship match for the first time in program history, after finishing in last place and missing the postseason just a full calendar year ago.

Despite reaching heights this program has never achieved before, senior captain Alessandro Scialanga says "we want to finish the job".

"We haven't reached anything yet. You get to the finals, its important, but once you get this close you want to get to the end. I'm just focused on winning the game, to be fair. It's going to be tough, they might be a good team, but we're a good team as well."

Along with Scialanga, senior iron man Jan Hoffmann says he wants to bring the trophy back to Marquette to honor everyone in the NMU soccer community that has helped him along the way.

"I want to end on a good note and reward the efforts of everyone that has been a part of my career at Northern Michigan. Everyone that has built a path for our team to grow and get to where we are, our team wants to get that trophy for everyone, so tomorrow is a big day to make that happen."

The 'Cats enter Sunday's match on a six-game unbeaten streak with three clean sheets and 12 goals scored to only four goals conceded in that frame. The last time the Wildcats lost was a 3-0 loss to the Cardinals on this same field a month ago.

"We haven't lost since we've played Saginaw the last time. This is the place of our last loss. Our guys have really turned the corner since that defeat and they're a better team, and so is Saginaw, so it's going to be a great game."

Leading the charge to end the season is sophomore forward Ian Weimer, who has five goals and three game-winning goals in the 'Cats last six matches, including a brace and the overtime golden-goal on Friday to send the 'Cats through.

The 2025 GLIAC Regular Season Champions have been on a good run of form as well, unbeaten in seven-straight and earning a first-round bye and the right to host the postseason. The Cardinals are led by GLIAC Player of the Year, Eoin Farrell, who leads the team with eight goals, albeit seven of those coming from penalty kicks. Farrell has five goals in the last five games, four of those PKs.

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