Northern Michigan University’s Josie Lakosky, right, makes a move to get away from Davenport’s Blakely Malpass, front left, during their GLIAC lacrosse game played at the Superior Dome in Marquette on March 28. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

Up next: NMU hosts GLIAC foe Saginaw Valley State at 5 p.m. Thursday at the Superior Dome

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MARQUETTE — The Northern Michigan University women’s lacrosse can make it own luck after getting swept in its final road trip of the regular season.

The Wildcats lost a pair of matches at Grand Valley State and Davenport over the weekend, but have two more matches at home in the Superior Dome before playing in the GLIAC Tournament in early May.

NMU fell to 8-7 overall and 2-4 in the league after an 11-4 loss at nationally ranked Grand Valley State and a 9-4 setback to Davenport.

The Wildcats have fallen into a tie for third place in the GLIAC with Davenport, but have a chance to catch second-place Concordia-St. Paul with one of their two remaining games against the Golden Bears.

Northern hosts last-place Saginaw Valley State at 5 p.m. Thursday in the dome, then takes almost a week and a half off before hosting C-SP at noon on Saturday, April 26.

The GLIAC playoffs will be held May 2 and 4 at the regular season champion, likely to be at 6-0 GVSU.

Here is information this past weekend:

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Grand Valley 11, NMU 4

On Friday evening in Allendale, the Wildcats couldn’t get any of their seven first-half shots past Lakers’ goaltender Kaylyn Cater, finally getting four past relief netminder Sarah Krause in the second half.

By that time however, No. 15 and 22 ranked — depending on the poll — GVSU had built a 9-0 lead.

NMU Sports Information noted that this was the first time in six years that Northern was shut out in the opening half of a game.

NMU’s first goal was scored by Maddi Bast with seven seconds left in the third. The lack of offense was bad timing as the Northern defense allowed just one third-period goal to the Lakers after they led 8-0 at halftime.

The Wildcats made it two goals in a row when Taylor Priestley scored 1:45 into the final period before top NMU scorer Josie Lakosky added a pair of goals during the game’s final seven minutes.

Zoe Montgomery worked the first half and Lauren Esposito the second half in the Northern goal, Montgomery making four saves while allowing eight goals and Esposito being particularly solid, making six stops to just three goals allowed.

Lakosky led all players with 12 total shots and 10 on goal, also tied for the most draw controls with five — the only five by NMU — as she added five ground balls. But she was 0 of 4 on free position shots.

Bast had four shots and Priestley three, each with three of them on goal, while Dayna Carlson had two shots, both on goal. Teammate Katelyn Wozney had a Northern-leading four ground balls, while Carlson and Norah Bates each had two caused turnovers.

On the Grand Valley side, Kendra Swope scored four goals and totaled five points on just four shots on goal and seven shots total.

Teammates Ella Boose and Ashleigh Rothe each had two goals, while Jillian Bingman had a goal and two assists for three points.

GVSU held advantages in total shots, 31-25, shots on goal, 20-13, ground balls, 23-18, and draw controls 13-5. Northern had fewer turnovers, 17-10, and while just 1 of 8 on free position shots, held the Lakers to 0 of 1 in that category.

The game started well for NMU, forcing GV into a shot clock violation on its first possession. Then Swope scored twice before the first quarter was half over, and with a goal by Boose and another by Swope, GVSU led 4-0 after one.

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Davenport 11, NMU 9

On Sunday afternoon in Grand Rapids, the Wildcats’ Lakosky made a late rush that just fell short, failing to extend a win streak against Davenport to six games.

With NMU trailing 10-5 entering the final period, Lakosky scored just over five minutes into the period, and then after a DU goal, scored three more in the final four minutes to get her team within two at the final whistle.

Lakosky led all players with six goals, 14 total shots and 11 shots on goal. For the second straight game, she also made five draw controls, which again tied for the most in the game.

Wozney and teammates Emily Radke and Laine Stanton scored single goals, while Priestley had Northern’s lone assist.

Radke took five shots, while Carlson had two that both were on goal.

Wozney also had team highs of four ground balls and four draw controls.

The Panthers (7-6, 2-4 GLIAC) were led by Blakely Malpass with four goals in five total shots, all on goal, while Gabby Basha and Theadora Krueger each had two goals.

Esposito started this game in the NMU net and had five saves while allowing six goals. Montgomery came in for the second half, stopping two and giving up five.

Zoe Cassell worked the entire 60 minutes in the DU net, making nine saves and letting in nine goals.

The Wildcats held a 29-21 advantage in total shots, though Davenport led 17-15 in shots on goal. Davenport also had edges in few turnovers, 17-15, and more ground balls, 27-22, while Northern had more draw controls, 13-10, and was 2 of 4 on free position shots as DU was 1 of 2.

Malpass opened the scoring with goals about 8 1/2 minutes apart to make it 2-0. Lakosky answered with scoring shots 49 seconds apart that made it 3-2 DU after one.

Later second-quarter goals from Stanton and DU’s Maddy Haynes kept the home team ahead 6-3 at intermission.

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