Northern Michigan University’s Hannah Jabas works the ball in a match at Saginaw Valley State in downstate University Center on Saturday. (Photo courtesy NMU)

MARQUETTE — The Northern Michigan University women’s lacrosse team went on the road and split a pair of games over the weekend, though their win may have been the more important of the two results.

That’s because that was the Wildcats’ GLIAC opener in a 20-1 thumping at Saginaw Valley State played at University Center between Saginaw and Bay City on Sunday morning.

Two days earlier, NMU lost 18-3 to nationally ranked Indianapolis in a neutral-site, nonconference game played at Grand Valley State’s home field in Allendale.

Northern, now with a 6-3 record, returns home for a pair of conference games in the Superior Dome during the next week, hosting Davenport at 5 p.m. Friday and preseason league favorite Grand Valley State at noon Sunday.

These will be the Wildcats’ only home games until the last two weeks of the regular season, when they host SVSU on April 18 and Concordia-St. Paul on April 26.

NMU is the first team to reach six wins this season in the GLIAC as nationally ranked GVSU (5-3), Concordia-St. Paul (5-4) and Davenport (5-2) all are at five wins.

Here are details from Northern’s trip downstate:

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Indianapolis 18, NMU 3

On Friday evening at Allendale, the No. 9 ranked Greyhounds built an 8-3 halftime lead before shutting out Northern in the second half for an impressive win.

Indy has its high ranking despite a modest 6-4 record as the Greyhounds have registered all their losses to top-20 nationally ranked teams while also beating No. 16 Grand Valley, No. 6 Regis and No. 25 Alabama-Huntsville.

Recent Northern record-setter Josie Lakosky — she’s twice set the school’s single-game point-scoring mark in the last month — scored a goal, as did teammates Taylor Priestley and Maddi Bast. Priestley also had an assist for the only multipoint day on the team.

Lakosky took nearly half the Wildcats’ shots — five of their 11 — and the same with shots on goal — four of their nine.

Indy, meanwhile, got five goals each from Olivia Bladon and Sage Da Silva.

NMU goalkeeper Zoe Montgomery, who played a little more than half the game, made seven saves while allowing 11 goals, while Lauren Esposito took the balance of minutes with two saves and seven goals let in.

The Greyhounds held a big 33-11 total shots advantage that included 21-9 in shots on goal. They also had a 16-12 ground balls edge while making just nine turnovers to Northern’s 21.

Including three from Da Silva, Indy scored the first five goals, the Wildcats not breaking through until Bast notched her goal with 1:07 left in the first quarter. She made a nice fake pass to get her defender off her for a clear run to the goal.

Despite the Greyhounds’ earlier dominance, NMU made a great defensive stop to force a turnover on Indy’s opening possession of the game, while Montgomery made a great save on their second offensive chance.

The teams basically traded goals for rest of the first half, Priestley getting hers with 9:43 left in the first half and Lakosky hers with 4:57 left as it was assisted by Priestley.

But the Greyhounds took their five-goal halftime edge and pummeled NMU with six unanswered goals in the third period to make it 14-3 entering the final 15 minutes.

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NMU 20, Saginaw Valley State 1

On Sunday morning at University Center, Northern had huge statistical advantages in just about every category as this is the Cardinals’ first year as a varsity sport.

Not only did the Wildcats nab the game’s first six goals — and then another 14 unanswered after SVSU (0-6, 0-2 GLIAC) scored early in the second quarter — but held a 41-12 total shots advantage, 29-4 in shots on goal, 19-8 in fewer turnovers, 38-26 on ground balls and 18-6 on draw controls.

Hannah Jabas led the offense for Northern, tying her career high with six goals in just eight shots on goals and nine total shots. Teammate Sophie Langsdale added four goals in five shots on goal and seven shots, while Priestley and Abby Sisson added three goals apiece as Lakosky had two goals and two assists for four points.

Lakosky also led the Wildcats with five draw controls, while Sisson had nine ground balls and Priestley two caused turnovers.

Montgomery and Esposito split time evenly in net, Montgomery making one save and allowing a goal while Esposito was perfect in the two shots on goal she faced.

The Cardinals’ Mikaila Stone was peppered with 29 shots on goal, stopping nine, as NMU tied its season-high goal total it first set vs. Lewis on March 15 while also setting a season high in ground balls.

With three goals by Jabas, Northern jumped out to a 5-0 lead before the midpoint of the opening quarter, while Lakosky got both her goals in the second period as NMU built a 12-1 halftime lead.

Jabas scored three more in the final quarter and a half, including Northern’s last two in the final 10 minutes.

Story contents based on Northern Michigan University Sports Information press releases reviewing the games. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.