UP Gazette

The Northern Michigan University men's soccer team is preparing for crucial matches this weekend as they aim to secure a spot in the postseason. The Wildcats will face Purdue Northwest and Parkside on the road, with Friday's game against Purdue NW being pivotal for both teams' chances of advancing to the GLIAC Tournament.

Currently, NMU is ranked seventh in the conference with seven points, while Purdue NW holds the sixth position with eight points. NMU has an overall record of 8-6-1 against Purdue and 3-5 when playing away games against them.

A victory on Friday would put NMU in a strong position to qualify for the tournament ahead of their Sunday match against Parkside. In case of a tie on Friday, NMU would need to win on Sunday and hope for a loss or tie from Purdue NW.

Coach Alex Fatovic commented on the team's mindset: "The guys know that everything is still in front of us, and I think that's the approach that they're going to take… If we win this game then we're in control of our destiny."

Key players for NMU include Tommaso Lami and Alessandro Scialanga, who lead the team with nine points each. Lami has four goals and one assist, while Scialanga has three goals and three assists. Goalkeeper Nils Cedergren is tied for third in conference shutouts with four.

Purdue Northwest's offense features Jacob Battista and Christian Booth as leading scorers. Their goalkeeper Tomas Rozman has allowed 18 goals this season with a save percentage of 0.690.

In their last encounter, NMU defeated Purdue NW 3-1 at home. The Wildcats outshot their opponents 17(9) to 10(5) and dominated corner kicks.

Parkside currently ranks fifth in the conference standings. Their key offensive players include Chris Estrada, Jules Peycelon, Paco Piscaglia, and Matteo Quintero. Goalkeeper Daniyal Rana leads the conference with five shutouts.

Previously, NMU lost to Parkside 0-1 at home despite having more shots and corner kicks during that match.