Huskies season ends in GLIAC Quarterfinals

ALLENDALE, Mich. – Jesse Jacobusse posted her second multi-goal game of the spring, but Michigan Tech still fell 6-3 to defending national champion Grand Valley State University in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference quarterfinals Tuesday afternoon at GVSU Soccer Field. Lauren Ross posted two goals to help the No. 4 seed Lakers to four second half tallies.

The No. 5 seed Huskies finished 5-4-1 overall. No. 4 seed Grand Valley State (4-1-1) moved into the GLIAC semifinals, scheduled for Friday. The Lakers outshot Tech 19-8 and earned five corners compared to one for the Huskies. Callie Rich made one save in victory. Erika Gabriel stopped three in net for Michigan Tech.

"It was a great season overall for us," said head coach Turk Ozturk. "We achieved a lot of our goals, including finishing in the top-four in the regular season standings. Unfortunately, we were up against the defending National Champions in the first match. They are a team who knows how to perform in big moments. We are a team that is getting there and we're a team that is on our way up. There are a lot of positives to take away from today. We scored three goals today and I'm extremely proud of our effort. We will continue to build and look to come back stronger in the fall."

FIRST HALF BREAKDOWN: Grace Shaw won a battle for possession in the Huskies defensive half and made a pass across the half line to Jacobusse. Jacobusse ran up the left side to the top of the box and fired a low shot past Rich to give Michigan Tech a 1-0 lead just two minutes, 15 seconds into the first half.

The Huskies pushed the Lakers to the outside in their defensive half in the 15 minutes following Jacobusse's goal, but eventually relented when Caitie Baron angled a cross from the left corner in front and found Cecelia Steinwasher five yards out for the tying goal to the lower left corner in the 30^th minute. Just five minutes later, Chantel Carranza gave the Lakers a 2-1 advantage on Steinwasher's cross from the opposite corner. Carranza beat Gabriel in in the middle and Kennedy Bearden added a second assist.

"We were looking to counter attack, which was something that worked the first time we played them," Ozturk said. "We had a lot of excitement after Jesse scored but Grand Valley is such a talented team and they found ways to capitalize on their chances."

Alexis Shatrau posted nearly snuck a late shot on goal under the crossbar with under a minute to play but Rich gloved the save. Shots on goal favored GVSU 4-2 after 45 minutes with shot attempts 13-2.  

SECOND HALF BREAKDOWN: Michigan Tech earned its first corner chance nine minutes into the second half but Rich swallowed up the cross by Schauer. One minute later, Lauren Ross made it 3-1 with a strike from the top of the box, which careened off the right post and in.

Brooke Schauer got the Huskies back within a goal in the 68^th minute after finding a pass through traffic in front. Emily Zietunian and Mia Tomashek tallied assists. It took Kennedy Bearden just one minute, 10 seconds after Schauer's marker to extend GVSU's lead.

A free kick for GVSU from 20 yards in the 72^nd minute provided more insurance for the Lakers. Gabriel knocked down Steinwasher's high initial shot but Ross cleaned up the rebound in front of the far post to make it 5-2.

Alicia White beat Gabriel from left of the top of the box after touch passes from Barron and Carranza for a 6-2 score line. Jesse Jacobusse scored her second goal of the game when she tapped in a crossing pass from Emily Zeitunian to cut the deficit to 6-3 with five minutes to play. Grace Shaw also assisted but it was too little too late for the visitors.

"We were looking to score, so we were pressing higher in the second half to try and create more offense," said Ozturk. "For us it didn't matter what the score was at that point, we wanted to go for it and I know our players wanted that as well. We know that we can play a variety of ways. We're a young group that is still building and I think they are just gaining more confidence as they head into the fall."