Northern Michigan University’s Teun Van Gansewinkel, center, gets to the ball before Thomas More’s Tim Stolz, left, and Yalcin Apaydin during their college men’s soccer game played at the NMU Soccer Field in Marquette on Saturday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)
MARQUETTE — The Northern Michigan University men’s soccer team is off to its best start in program history after tying a nationally ranked team and shutting out another opponent at home last week.
The Wildcats are 3-0-1 following a 2-2 comeback tie vs. No. 25 Lewis, then a 3-0 blanking of Thomas More.
This week, NMU plays a single game at 8 p.m. EDT Saturday at St. Cloud State in St. Cloud, Minnesota, to open its GLIAC campaign.
The following Friday, Sept. 27, the Wildcats plays their conference home opener at the NMU Soccer Field at 3 p.m. vs. Purdue Northwest.
Here are details from last week’s games:
Northern Michigan University’s Alessandro Scialanga does some fancy footwork to keep the ball in play in a college men’s soccer game played against Thomas More University at the NMU Soccer Field in Marquette on Saturday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)
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NMU 2, Lewis 2
On Thursday in Marquette, Northern battled this nationally ranked team from Illinois to a scoreless draw in the first half before falling behind by two goals and then catching up to forge a draw. Last year, these teams played to a scoreless draw in Romeoville, Illinois.
NMU got its goals, both the first of their collegiate careers, from freshman forward William Uchenna in the 67th minute and from sophomore forward Davian Gumbs in the 83rd minute.
The Wildcats were unable to convert on their chances in a dominant opening half, according to a game account from NMU Sports Information, then the Flyers were able to open a 2-0 lead with just over 30 minutes remaining.
Northern Michigan University players celebrate a goal by Kyle Cameron, second from left, late in the second half during a college men’s soccer game played against Thomas More University at the NMU Soccer Field in Marquette on Saturday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)
Northern outshot Lewis 8-2 in the first half and 18-8 for the game, including 3-1 in shots on goal in the opening 45 minutes and 9-4 for the entire game.
Two of NMU’s first-half shots on goal were quality looks from inside the box that barely missed, including one by Tuen Van Gansewinkel just over 10 minutes in when he trickled a shot toward the left post that Lewis goalkeeper Sebastian Doppelhofer was just able to stretch to make the save, according to NMU SI.
In the final two minutes of the opening half following sustained pressure and possession by Northern, Alessandro Scialanga lined up for a free kick. His right-swinging ball landed at the feet of teammate Luca Rub, who jumped and made a spinning back-heel kick that found its way on goal, but was sent right into Doppelhofer’s arms.
Lewis found its footing at halftime, needing less than five minutes to score in the second half on Carson Czosnyka goal. The Flyers upped the margin to two just over seven minutes later on a goal by Max Widlund, who had assisted on Czosnyka’s tally.
But the Wildcats were credited for staying persistent and clawing back, NMU SI stated, starting with a phenomenal effort by Tomasso Lami to drive into the box and draw a penalty kick around 10 minutes after Lewis’ second goal.
Lami took his own shot from the spot, which Doppelhofer stopped, but Uchenna was on the mark to clean up the rebound and make it 2-1 with just under 35 minutes remaining.
Then about 16 minutes later and with less than eight minutes left, Northern struck again from a set piece to knot the score 2-2.
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- Northern Michigan University’s Teun Van Gansewinkel, center, gets to the ball before Thomas More’s Tim Stolz, left, and Yalcin Apaydin during their college men’s soccer game played at the NMU Soccer Field in Marquette on Saturday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)
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- Northern Michigan University’s Alessandro Scialanga does some fancy footwork to keep the ball in play in a college men’s soccer game played against Thomas More University at the NMU Soccer Field in Marquette on Saturday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)
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- Northern Michigan University players celebrate a goal by Kyle Cameron, second from left, late in the second half during a college men’s soccer game played against Thomas More University at the NMU Soccer Field in Marquette on Saturday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)
Scialanga hit a right curling corner kick into the area that found the foot of Gumbs, who made no mistake, according to NMU SI. Scialanga picked up his second assist in as many games.
The Wildcats also had a chance to take the lead with about a minute left, as Van Gansewinkel shot from the right side and sent a ball by Doppelhofer that just narrowly passed the left post.
NMU goalkeeper Nils Cedergren made two saves as Doppelhofer finished with seven. Northern also held an 8-4 edge in corner kicks as Lewis outfouled NMU 12-8, though the Wildcats were called for five of the game’s six yellow cards.
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NMU 3, Thomas More 0
On Saturday in Marquette, Scialanga, a defenseman, went from two assists in two games to two goals in a single match, scoring the Wildcats’ first two goals barely more than five minutes into the second half.
“This all started two days ago when we were down 2-0 to Lewis and then we fought our way back,” Scialanga said in an NMU SI release about the game. “We didn’t get the result we wanted, so we came together after the game to share ideas on how we can improve, and that’s what you saw (Saturday).”
Kyle Cameron added a goal, his first as a collegian, in the last minute for the final margin.
“That was a complete 90-minute match out there,” Northern head coach Alex Fatovic said. “From the players that started to the reserves that came off the bench, I couldn’t be more proud of the guys. They got what they deserved (Saturday).
“As games go on, our quality starts to come out, and we’ve got it on the bench and in the starting group.
“We’re gonna check the tape and see where we can get better … next week, but right now we’re going to rest up and enjoy this one.”
A truly dominant performance, the Wildcats outshot the Saints 19-8 with nine on target to none for the Saints as NMU now has three shutouts in four games this season.
Scialanga’s scores were the first ones for the NMU sophomore as he has four points this season, and it marked Northern’s first multigoal performance since Lami did it on Oct. 23, 2022, vs. Upper Iowa.
Like two days earlier, Van Gansewinkel almost scored early, this time coralling a ball at his feet just outside the right corner of the box, NMU SI said. RIght-footed he made a good hit, but sent the ball just wide of the left post. Two minutes later, he again found himself inside the keepers box.
Thomas More had a break of its own halfway through the first half as an attacker darted into the Wildcats box. NMU’s Xhoel Lutaj was up to the task defensively, as he made a perfect tackle to win possession of the ball legally and not take a penalty on the dangerous chance.
The Wildcats broke the scoreless tie late in the first half, as Scialanga took a deflection in the box and beat the keeper to the bottom left.
With the Wildcats holding the narrow 1-0 margin at halftime, Scialanga & Co. weren’t about to be done. Lami barely needed five minutes after play restarted by making a nice move around a defender to get into the box before threading the needle to find Scialanga wide open atop the box. The latter gathered the ball, took a strike and beat the goalkeeper to the bottom right corner.
Northern continued to dominate possession and opportunities, as attempts from both Gumbs and Logan Lazar from inside the box both just missed.
Cameron made his Wildcat debut and added an exclamation point to the game, finishing off a pass from Triston Nelson to haul in his first career Wildcat goal.
James Carr, who assisted on the first goal, picked up his first career point, while Lami got his first assist and third point of the season with an assist on goal No. 2.
And Cedergren got his third shutout as he faced eight shots, but none on goal.
Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.