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DOME SWEET DOME: Northern Women Win, 2-1
 NMU Sports Information Story; RRN Sports Photos, Video MARQUETTE---In the first Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference soccer match ever played inside the Superior Dome, the Northern Michigan University Women's Soccer team defeated Michigan Technological University 2-1 and clinched a spot in the GLIAC Tournament and honored their seniors on Senior Day. Prior to the match, the team honored Gaelin Hirabayashi (Ijamsville, Md.), Jamie Montgomery (Gaithersburg, Md.), Kaitlynn Benson (Windsor, Ontario), Ashleigh Hansen (Grayslake, Ill.), Christine Bina (Comstock Park, Mich.) and Brianna Frontuto (Luxemburg, Wis.). Less than eight minutes into the match, the Wildcats were given a penalty kick and took advantage to take a 1-0 lead early in the match. Montgomery was fouled inside the box and received a penalty as a result. The senior capitalized by putting the ball into the net for her fifth goal of the season and her second penalty kick goal this year. The Wildcats took a 2-0 lead in the second half. Sophomore Caroline Halonen (Hartland, Mich.) took a corner kick and found Hirabayashi who was in the middle of the box. Hirabayshi was able to rise above the Tech defense and put the ball into the upper left corner for her third goal of the year and fourth of her career. Tech was able to score a goal with 24 minutes left to play but NMU was able to hold on and capture a 2-1 victory to clinch a spot in the GLIAC Tournament. Frontuto became the fifth player in program history to reach 100 saves in a season in the first half and finished the match with six saves. She is tied for the third most saves in a season. The Wildcats outshot the Huskies 14-12 with Montgomery leading NMU with six shots and three on goal. Halonen added three shots with two on goals. Junior Isabella Cardosa (Sao Paulo, Brazil) tallied two shots with one on goal. The Wildcats will now prepare for the GLIAC Tournament as they head to top seed Grand Valley State University Sunday afternoon for a 1 p.m. kickoff. |
