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PREVIEW
The No. 2 Grand Valley State Lakers begin the next chapter of the 25^th season of GVSU Soccer as they embark north to the Upper Peninsula to begin Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) play this weekend. The Lakers will face the Northern Michigan Wildcats Friday (Sept. 17) at 3:00 PM and the Michigan Tech Huskies Sunday (Sept. 19) at 12:00 PM.
 
This is the second straight road weekend for the Lakers, who traveled the opposite direction last weekend for a pair of impressive wins against Central Region opponents; beating Northwest Missouri State 5-2 and No. 7 Central Missouri 3-0.
 
"I was pleased to get on the road and take care of business," said first-year head coach Jim Conlon. "The first road trip brings so many factors. From recovery and rest to meals, team camaraderie, time for academic responsibilities and so much more than just the play on the field. I'm proud of the way our ladies responded to get two wins."
 
The Lakers finish non-conference action with a 4-0 record as they get set to begin a 14-game GLIAC slate to finish out the regular season. Four of the first five conference contests are on the road for the Lakers, further testing the team's resilience as they aim for a 16^th straight fall GLIAC regular season title. The last fall season, 2019, the Lakers went undefeated in conference play and made history as the first women's soccer team to ever go a full GLIAC season without conceding a goal.
 
"This is a brand-new season now and everyone is 0-0 again in the conference," Conlon said. "We have to approach each game individually and focus on the opponent and task at hand. Right now, our focus is another long road trip and two quality conference teams to deal with."
 
The conference schedule begins with the team they faced in the 2021 Spring GLIAC Championship match; the Northern Michigan Wildcats. The Lakers won that game, 3-0, in Big Rapids, Michigan to claim a 14^th straight GLIAC Tournament title. The Wildcats are 2-2 after dropping two one-goal decisions last weekend in Minnesota.
 
Caroline Halonen was named GLIAC Offensive Player of the Year in the Spring to lead the Wildcat attack and is once again the focal point, scoring three goals and dishing a pair of assists through four games this season. Six other NMU players have found the back of the net, with freshman Ashley Kock scoring twice and sophomore adding a goal and pair of assists. In total, the Wildcats have scored 10 goals while conceding five. Shenae Kreps has played every minute in goal, recording 26 saves with a .839 save percentage.
 
"Northern Michigan is coming off a very impressive spring and clearly are responding well to the coaching change last season," Conlon said. "They are physical and imposing defensively and will test our toughness on the ball. They also have some of the best goal-scorers in this league and we will have to be diligent and focused to keep them in check."
 
GVSU will trek further north Sunday to face the Huskies of Michigan Tech, a team that netted five goals against the Lakers in the spring season. The teams played to a 2-2 tie on opening weekend then the Lakers earned a 6-3 win in the GLIAC Tournament Quarterfinals. Both games were played in Allendale, making this the Lakers' first trip to Houghton, Michigan since 2019.
 
The Huskies are 3-1 with three shutout wins, outscoring their opponents 14-2 so far this year, and are coming off an 8-0 drubbing of Minnesota Crookston. The Huskies will face Davenport Friday night on their home field before welcoming in the Lakers. Freshman Julia Pietila netted four goals and an assist in that win, moving her into the team lead with five goals this season. Familiar names Jesse Jacobusse and Grace Shaw have each scored twice and Jacobusse has a pair of assists as well.
 
"Michigan Tech has shown an ability to score in bunches and they can be dangerous in a number of ways," Conlon said. "They have some versatility in their lineups, formations and tactics, which can make them tough to prepare for and a mental challenge during the game. We will need to be locked in both mentally and physically to get a result on the road."
 
After a 600-mile trek southwest last weekend, the Lakers venture over 500 miles north this weekend. As the miles add up, GVSU hopes the wins will too. Live coverage links will be available on gvsulakers.com and @GVSUSoccer on social media as well as live in-game updates.