North Michigan News

The Northern Michigan University women's soccer team is preparing for its first-round match in the 2024 NCAA tournament against the Drury Panthers. This marks the fourth time in program history and the third consecutive season under coach Jon Sandoval that the Wildcats have reached this stage.

The Wildcats are entering the tournament after a successful season, having won both the GLIAC regular-season and tournament championships for two consecutive years. With a record of 14-3-4, they recently defeated Saginaw Valley State 3-0 in the GLIAC championship. The team's offensive strength is highlighted by All-GLIAC First Team forwards Justina L'Esperance, Brooke Pietila, and Molly Pistorius. Pietila and Pistorius were named GLIAC Offensive Player of the Year in 2024 and 2023, respectively.

Defensively, the Wildcats are led by Hannah Kastamo, GLIAC Defender of the Year, along with Maria Storm and goalkeeper Sally Patton, who was named GLIAC Freshman of the Year after achieving six shutouts this season.

The Wildcats will face Drury at a neutral site in Ashland, Ohio. The match will take place on Friday, November 22 at Ferguson Field at 3 p.m. ET. Weather conditions are expected to be challenging with a mix of rain and snow forecasted.

Northern Michigan earned a #4 seed in their region following their conference championship win. Drury enters as a #5 seed after receiving an at-large bid despite losing to McKendree in the GLVC semifinals.

The winner between Northern Michigan and Drury will go on to face Ashland Eagles, who hold a #1 seed after winning their conference title.

Drury Panthers come into this game as fifth seeds with an impressive regular-season record of 13-1-4. They ended their regular season as runners-up in their conference but had an unbeaten streak leading into postseason play. Notable players include Andrea Camargo and Kourtney Tucker among others.

Fans can follow updates via @NMU_wsoccer on social media platforms formerly known as Twitter.