Tech Soccer Preps for Four-game Homestand; Welcomes Lakers and Panthers
HOUGHTON, Mich. – The Michigan Tech soccer team starts a four-game homestand this weekend hosting No. 6 Grand Valley State on Friday (Oct. 7) at 7 p.m. and Davenport at noon on Sunday (Oct. 9).
Friday's contest will serve as community night, with an invitation for the local soccer clubs (both CCSA and HFC) to attend.
Fans can catch both games on FloSports, as part of the four-year media partnership with the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference beginning this fall.
About the Lakers
Grand Valley State comes to Copper Country with a record of 8-1-2 overall with a GLIAC standing of 6-0-1. The Lakers are on a six-game win streak, besting Davenport 5-1 last Friday night (Sept. 30).
Five different players scored in the win, while Kendall Robertson played 72 minutes in goal, making two saves before Callie Rich played between the posts for the final 18 minutes of the match.
Kennedy Bearden paces the offense for GVSU with a team-leading six goals and six assists. For the season, Bearden has three game-winning goals and averages 0.55 assists per game, leading the GLIAC in both categories while being among the nations-best.
Robertson has played in all 11 contests in the net for the Lakers, recording 33 saves (.805 save percentage) and two shutouts.
About the Panthers
Following a 5-1 loss to No. 6 Grand Valley State on Friday (Sept. 30), Davenport holds a ledger of 2-2-3 in conference play with an overall standing of 3-4-4.
Sarah Possett scored the lone goal for the Panthers in the 78th minute, her second of the season. Gabriana Bennecke made five saves, one off her season high, on 21 shots faced.
Three Panthers have tallied two goals this season, the aforementioned Possett, Aida Holihan and Citali Luna. Holihan has five points, posting an assist as well this season.
Bennecke has played every minute in the net for the Panthers, logging 990:00 in 11 games, while holding a save percentage of .727 while stopping 40 shots.
About the Huskies
Through the halfway point in GLIAC play, Michigan Tech holds a record of 1-3-3 with an overall standing of 3-5-3. Last Friday (Sept. 30), the Huskies played to a scoreless draw against then No. 22 Northern Michigan.
The collective defensive play of the Black & Gold shut out one of the best offenses in the nation, making it the first time this season that the Wildcats were held scoreless in a game.
Gracie VanLangevelde posted her fifth shutout of the season in the 0-0 draw, making six saves on the night in the Superior Dome. The fifth shutout for the Spring Lake, Michigan, native ranks her 15th in the nation in shutouts this season. She also ranks 16th in the nation in goalie minutes played (990:00), playing the entirety of the season in the net for the Huskies.
VanLangevelde earned GLAIC Defensive Player of the Week honors for her efforts against Northern Michigan.
Offensively, senior Neve Badalow and freshman Alyvia Sanom have tallied two goals apiece through 11 games. Stephanie Yeager joins them with four points, having a goal and two assists this season.
One Last Thing
Through 40 games at the helm of the Huskies, head coach Bulut Ozturk's squad has racked up 19 shutouts, nearly half of those have been with Gracie VanLangevelde in the net, having nine over her four years at Tech.