MIDLAND, Mich. -- The Cardinal Men's Soccer team won its fourth straight match after a 3-1 victory at Northwood University on Friday (Nov. 8) afternoon. With the win, the Cardinals improve to 12-5-1 overall and 10-4 in GLIAC play and earn the #2 seed in the GLIAC Tournament. As the #2 seed, SVSU earns a bye and looks to play Friday (Nov. 15) at Parkside with the opponent TBD.

Saginaw Valley got on the board first when Kairo Coore found the back of the net at the 11' mark to put the visitors up 1-0. Northwood would answer with a goal of their own coming in the 28th minute to knot the match, 1-1. This score would remain through the end of the first half.

In the first 45 minutes, SVSU had four shots compared to eight for the Timberwolves. The Timberwolves would better the Cardinals in corner kicks, 3-2, in the first half.

The Cards tacked-on another goal in the 54th minute to push the lead to 2-0, on a Brady Walker goal. The Cardinals added a third and final goal as Connor Rutz beat the Northwood defenders and found the back of the net to put SVSU up, 3-1. He was assisted by Coore on the score. Mason Maziasz and the SVSU defense would hold strong and keep the Timberwolves scoreless in the second half and end the game with a final score of 3-1.

Inside the Boxscore

• Coore's goal was his seventh of the season and he now has four assists. He is tied for the GLIAC lead in goals and ranks second with 23 points. 
• Walker's goal was his fifth score of the 2019 campaign. 
• Rutz leads the Cardinals in goals and assists for the season with nine and five, respectively
• Maziasz improves to 10-3-1 for the Cardinals and adds three saves to his season total of 50.

From Head Coach Louis Barrow

"Northwood is always an exceptionally difficult place to go. We haven't beat NU twice in one season since I've been here in 2015, so it is an absolutely fantastic accomplishment and its all because of the lads. They came together today, and when the game got really difficult, they all gritted their teeth and really stuck together. A special goal from Rutz gave us the breathing room we needed to kill the game off and that's just what we did."

Up Next...

Saginaw Valley earns a bye and the #2 seed in the GLIAC Tournament and seals a GLIAC Tournament Semifinal match on Friday (Nov. 15) at Parkside. The Cardinals will play the winner of #3 seed Davenport and #6 seeded Ashland. 

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