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Portage Northern High School
2007 Women's Soccer
Head Coach: Andy Fuehr
Junior Varsity Coach: Pat Tetreault
Varsity Assistant: Matt Brown
Goalkeeper Coach: Erin Carlson
Trainer: Julianna Gravlin

Latest News (Updated 10-Jul-2007)
Note: click reload or refresh to make sure it's current; rely on your coach and email for the latest news

CALLING ALL PN SOCCER ALUMNI
Visit the Alumni Game Page for important information (Tues Aug 21)
To see players signed up so far, select link to the right:     men     women


2007 District Champions and Regional Finalists!

Congratulations Huskies on Post Season Honors-

All State 2nd team: Sam Kowalisyn and Anna Stinson

All State honorable mention: Anna Caplis

All Region: Anna Caplis, Sam Kowalisyn, and Anna Stinson

All District: Sarah Bouali, Anna Caplis, Sam Kowalisyn, Mary McCarthy, Megan Hayes, Andrea Jones, Jillian Karrick, and Anna Stinson

All Conference: Sarah Bouali, Anna Caplis, Sam Kowalisyn, and Anna Stinson, with Honorable Mention to Mary McCarthy, Andrea Jones, Sam Pace, and Jillian Karrick

MVP: Anna Caplis and Sam Kowalisyn

Most Improved: Jillian Karrick

4-Year Letter Winners: Anna Caplis and Sam Kowalisyn

3-Year Letter Winners: Sarah Bouali and Mary McCarthy

To see the complete list of postseason honors, click here.


Congratulations also for earning "All-Academic" with a team GPA of 3.65, one of the highest in the state and well above the 3.3 required for recognition. Individual All-Academic honors go to Carolyn Brown, Anna Caplis, and Sam Kowalisyn. Way to go Huskies!


Special thanks to Joe Caplis and Larry McClish for writing varsity and JV game summaries. This was much appreciated by those who couldn't attend every game.
Dexter Ends Strong Run by Huskies

Portage Northern's season came to an end Friday evening at the hands of #3 ranked Dexter, who scored twice in the first half and once more in the second. The Huskies controlled the ball most of the time in the second half, but could not find the back of the net, and the final score was 3-0. Congratulations go out to Dexter on a very well-played match, and congratulations to our Huskies on a great season and many great memories parents and fans will keep for a long time. A final record of 17-5-3 represents a lot of good soccer. Have a great summer!


Huskies Win OT Thriller Over Trojans (Tues Jun 5)

Portage Northern defeated Plainwell 1-0 in the regional semifinal when Anna Stinson scored in the last minute of overtime. Stinson, who had been double-teamed all evening, broke free along the left touch line and carried the ball up near the goal line against a single defender before she got inside, faked out two more defenders, and put a quick shot past the Plainwell keeper before more defensive help arrived. Although Northern controlled play during the overtime, Plainwell fought hard and strong during regulation, and their scrappy play had fans wondering who was going to score first. Jillian Karrick notched the shutout with good help again from the defense despite facing numerous corner kicks in both halves and a bright sun in the second half. Congratulations Huskies, and good luck Friday against Dexter.


Portage Northern Defeats Marshall 4-1 (Sat Jun 2)

In what hopefully does not become a habit, the Huskies again gave up an early goal before settling down and going on to win the District Championship 4-1. After the slow start, the first Husky goal came in the 10th minute when Carolyn Brown made a nice shot after receiving the ball from Anna Stinson. Then in the 28th minute, Stinson finished a Samantha Kowalisyn restart and it was 2-1 at halftime. In the second half, Kowalisyn made a very impressive volley of a long cross from Stinson to make it 3-1. The final Husky goal was Stinson's second of the evening, as she brought the ball a long way up the right side, and then got inside the defense and shot strongly before the defense recovered. The Huskies played excellent team defense including the back line of Anna Caplis, Mary McCarthy, Andrea Jones, and Melissa Scafaria, with Megan Hayes, Carolyn Brown, Krista Clancy, Cassie Vandersloot, and Rachel Meyer, in front of them. Congratulations Huskies, and good luck Tuesday!


Huskies Advance to District Final (Thurs May 31)

Portage Northern spotted Gull Lake a goal in the opening minutes, and then went on to score four of their own while shutting down the potent Gull Lake offense. Fans were treated to an exciting semifinal victory just before the seniors hustled off the field to get to graduation on time. Husky goals game from Carolyn Brown, Samantha Kowalisyn (twice), and Anna Stinson, with assists from Stinson and Cassie VanderSloot. The District Final is set for Saturday at 6:00 against Marshall. Go Huskies!



Huskies Win District Opener (Tues May 29)

Portage Northern defeated Battle Creek Lakeview 3-1 to advance to the District Semifinal for a rematch against Gull Lake. The first half was scoreless despite good play by both teams. The Huskies continued to create some good opportunities in the second half, and the first conversion came when Carolyn Brown brought the ball deep up the right side and served a beautiful cross to Sarah Bouali just outside the far post. Bouali dropped the ball perfectly to Samantha Kowalisyn who blasted one from short range that the Lakeview keeper had no chance at. Shortly later, Anna Stinson tallied the first of her two goals on a well-placed 25 yard shot after some nifty dribbling. When Stinson scored again, assisted by Kowalisyn, it might have looked like a comfortable lead, but Lakeview scored to make it 3-1, and notice was served that Northern would have to play hard the rest of the way, which to their credit they did. Game time Thursday is 3:30 and everyone knows there is serious business to do before anyone can think too much about graduation! Go Seniors!! Go Huskies!!


Northern and Hackett Battle to a Draw (Fri May 25)

It was déjà vu all over again as Northern and Hackett tie 1-1 for the second straight year. The scoring began in the first half when Hackett put a nice shot into the Husky net as Julie Hamilton finished a quick pass from Emily Benoit. Shortly afterward, a direct kick was assessed against Hackett. Samantha Kowalisyn put the ball into the top right corner to deadlock the game.

Samantha Kowalisyn sends a direct kick into the net from over 30 yards out

The second half was a defensive struggle with the Husky defense playing a great game. Jillian Karrick made a number of tremendous saves to preserve the tie. Great game Jillian! Tuesday begins district play as our Huskies take on Battle Creek-Lakeview. See you there!

In the early match, the JV squad played a strong game but came up just short, losing 1-0. After using the first six games to find their groove, the JV went 10-3-1 over the last 14 games to finish the season 10-8-2. Congratulations on a winning season!!


Northern beats Vicksburg 5-0 (Wed May 23)

It didn't take long to get back on the winning track. We played a very good game against Vicksburg. The passing was excellent and the defense outstanding. The game was scoreless for the first 20 minutes. Vicksburg committed a foul in the box and Samantha Kowalisyn sent the penalty kick past the keeper for the games first score. The pk acted like a catalyst, Northern scored three more goals in the next ten minutes. Anna Stinson finished a cross from Natalie McClish; Samantha Kowalisyn finished a pass from Anna Stinson and Meg Harris finished a ball from Samantha Kowalisyn. Halftime score 4-0 Northern.

Samantha Kowalisyn blows by a Vicksburg defender
Ella Lozon, Carolyn Hawkins, Kelly Wilkinson and Krista Clancy race on to a ball sent to the front of the net

The second half was dominated by the Huskies. The highlight was a goal by Kelly Wilkinson with the assist going to Natalie McClish. Special kudos to Samantha Kowalisyn who has scored four goals in the last two games and to the defense which racked up another shutout.

Some representatives of the Sophomore class on the 2007 Varsity Squad include: Kelli Hart, Melissa Scafaria, Andrea Jones, Krista Clancy, Megan Hayes, Sam Pace and Rachel Meyer

The JV Lady Huskies bounced back from Monday's contest in fine fashion with a 3-1 victory at Vicksburg on Wednesday. Melissa Trebing opened the scoring for the visitors when she hustled for a breakaway goal at the 29-minute mark. Then, with only 2:45 remaining in the half, Erika Jansen tallied what proved to be the game winner as she converted on a penalty kick awarded after Jessica Belknap was fouled in the Bulldog box. Sidney Helmer pushed the Huskie lead to 3-0 on the warm night when she maintained control of a loose ball in the box and found the back of the Vicksburg net with 9:35 remaining in the contest. The play originated from a well-put corner kick by Erika Jansen. As has become the norm in most games, the defensive play of Julia Fletcher, Brooke Doherty, Brianna Melgar, Ali Tibble, and others was outstanding, and goalkeeper Taylor Smith came up with more big saves. With the win, Coach Pat Tetreault's contingent is now assured of a winning season with an overall mark of 10-7-2 and one match to go.


Central Wins SMAC Tournament (Mon May 21)

It was a hard fought contest. Unfortunately, our Huskies came out on the short end of the score as rival Central won a 3-2 squeaker. The game was scoreless for the first 30 minutes. Central scored at the 32-minute mark and took a 1-0 lead into halftime.

The intensity on Mary McCarthy's face says it all
Jillian Karrick puts a big kick out of our end

The Huskies evened the score minutes into the second half when Samantha Kowalisyn sent a blistering shot into the goal. Central responded several minutes later to go up 2-1. The game looked to be to be out of reach when Central scored a third time at the 56-minute mark. However, less than one minute later Samantha Kowalisyn took a pass from Anna Stinson and brought us to within one goal.

Anna Caplis sends it deep into Mustang territory

The last twenty-three minutes were extremely exciting as the Huskies pressured the Mustangs but were unable to get the equalizer needed to send it into overtime. The large crowd appreciated the great soccer played on both sides of the ball. Great game Huskies!

In the Junior Varsity game, the crosstown rivalry saw the host Mustangs score four first-half goals enroute to a 7-1 win over the Lady Huskies. Melissa Trebing averted a shutout when she convincingly converted a nicely slotted cross from Erika Jansen with 4:50 remaining in the contest. The loss snapped the Huskies unbeaten streak at eight games (7-0-1). However, Northern maintains a winning record for the season at 9-7-2 and can guarantee a winning overall record with a victory in either of their final two games of the season.


Northern Advances to Conference Final (Wed May 16)

Northern defeated Battle Creek Lakeview 3-0 to advance to the Conference Finals on Monday against cross-town rival Portage Central. The Huskies played well against Lakeview and were rewarded with their eighth consecutive victory and first shut out in six games. The scoring began late in the first half when Anna Stinson finished a cross from Samantha Kowalisyn to give the Huskies the lead at half time

Meg Harris awaits a corner kick from Anna Stinson

The second half was a good one for the Huskies. At the 34 minute mark Megan Hayes sent the ball in to Anna Stinson who put us up 2-0. Several minutes later Samantha Kowalisyn passed to Anna Stinson who gave us a 3-0 lead. The remainder of the second half had the Huskies continuing to pressure Lakeview. The defense played exceptionally well with Lakeview having few scoring opportunities during the game. The game also marked a new first for Anna Stinson who notched up her second hat-trick in two consecutive games. Way to go Anna!

The JV Lady Huskies edged Battle Creek Lakeview, 3-2, Wednesday at Husky Field. It was the second time in a week that the Huskies defeated the Spartans (a 2-0 win in Battle Creek last Wednesday). In Wednesday's Semifinal, the Huskies got on the board only 40 seconds into the contest when Natalie McClish left-footed a drive into the Lakeview net after receiving a nice pass across the box from Kallie Strazdas. However, Lakeview knotted the score at 1-1 when a header eluded Huskie keeper Taylor Smith with 17:44 remaining in the half. Northern regained the lead in the second stanza when Erika Jansen's penalty kick attempt (awarded after a Lakeview defender took away a goal with her hands as Jansen's header was all but in the goal) hit the post and came back to an alert Sidney Helmer, who fired home a low, hard shot with just over 30 minutes remaining on the clock (see video). Once again, though, the visitors tied the score with a well-placed shot high into the Huskie net at the 9:40 mark. But the Huskies were not to be denied when, less than a minute after the Spartans scored, Melissa Trebing put home the game-winner when she chested a beautiful cross from Kallie Strazdas, who was surrounded by three defenders. The JV Huskies are now 7-0-1 in their last eight games enroute to a 9-6-2 overall record. Coach Pat Tetreault's contingent will wind up their 2007 season next week with three formidable foes...Portage Central on Monday followed by away games at Vicksburg on Wednesday and Hackett Catholic Central on Friday.

Come support your Huskies in the renewal of the cross-town rivalry at P-Central for the SMAC Championship on Monday. Action begins with the JV tilt at 5 p.m. followed by the varsity clash at 6:45 p.m.



Huskies Start Tournament with Victory over Marshall (Mon May 14)

Northern extended their win streak to seven games with a 7-1 victory over Marshall on Monday. The scoring began around the 27-minute mark when Marshall fouled Samantha Kowalisyn in the box. Sammy took the penalty kick and staked the Huskies to a 1-0 lead. In the next six minutes, Northern scored two more goals with Anna Stinson finishing a cross from Rachel Meyer, and then Kowalisyn redirecting a pass from Sarah Bouali to the back of the net.

Andrea Jones battles a Marshall player for the ball

The second half began where the first had finished. Sarah Bouali scored with an assist by Krista Clancy. Anna Stinson scored the next two Husky goals with assists by Bouali and Kelly Wilkinson. The final Husky goal was at 3:13 off the foot of Krista Clancy with an assist by Cassie VanderSloot. Marshall avoided the shutout when they scored with just over a minute to play. Final score 7-1 Huskies. Congratulations to Anna Stinson on her hat trick. The Huskies' record is now 11-3-2.

Melissa Scafaria attacks a Marshall defender
Kelli Hart works against a Marshall attacker

The JV game turned out to be a defensive struggle. Goalkeeper Taylor Smith returned to the Husky lineup after a brief illness and, coupled with the defense in front of her, shut out yet another opponent. Freshman Erika Jansen continued to show her offensive prowess as her shot with just under 12 minutes remaining in the first half proved to be the only goal of the game. Kallie Strazdas had the assist after working the ball up the right side. With the 1-0 Husky victory, the Lady Huskies improve to 8-6-2 on the season.

Northern now advances to the second round of the SMAC Conference Tournament on Wednesday at home against Battle Creek Lakeview. Wednesday's doubleheader begins with the JV game at 5 p.m. followed by the varsity contest at 6:45 p.m


In honor of our seniors, a special Senior Night page is on-line (click here).


Huskies' Roll Continues Against Gull Lake (Thurs May 10)

The win streak continued, on Senior Night, as Gull Lake became the sixth consecutive opponent to fall to the Husky soccer squad. As has been our custom during the streak, we got on top and were able to hold our adversary in check. At 27:26 Cassie VanderSloot took a pass from Sarah Bouali and beat the keeper for the games first score. Neither team was able to score in the remainder of the first half but the Huskies were keeping the pressure on.

Samantha Kowalisyn launches the corner kick to the front of the Gull Lake goal
Carolyn Brown beats a Gull Lake defender to the ball

Gull Lake made the game exciting when the tied it up at the 26 minute mark. However the tie didn't last. Three minutes later Gull Lake was assessed a penalty in the box. Samantha Kowalisyn drilled the PK to put us back into the lead. Kelly Wilkinson finished a pass from Anna Stinson to put the game away at 16:12. This was Kelly's second goal in as many games. Way to go Kelly! All in all, it was a good effort by the team. The defense was solid, denying Gull Lake all but a few scoring opportunities.

Huskies take a victory lap

In the early game coach Pat Tetreault's JV Huskies closed out the home portion of their 2007 regular season with a 2-0 victory over Gull Lake, the same score they defeated Battle Creek Lakeview 24 hours earlier. With the win, the Huskies improved to a winning record on the season (7-6-2), which is especially impressive after starting the campaign at 0-5-1. Following a scoreless first half, the Huskies' Sidney Helmer fired home an attempt from 13 feet out that squeezed just inside the right post for a 1-0 lead with 17:51 remaining in the second half. Then, at the 6:34 mark, Erika Jansen calmly put home a penalty kick past the Gull Lake keeper after Melissa Trebing was knocked down in the box during a scoring attempt. The Husky defense, led by goalie Kallie Strazdas, posted their third shutout of the week and have given up only one goal in their last five outings during the winning streak.


Battle Creek-Lakeview falls to Huskies (Wed May 9)

The first half of the game against Battlecreek-Lakeview was perhaps the best half the Huskies have played all season. They were dominant in all phases of the game. The Huskies got on top early and never looked back. At 38:40 Sam pace took a cross from Samantha Kowalisyn and finished it beautifully for the games first score. Shortly thereafter, Sarah Bouali finished a pass from Krista Clancy to put us up 2-0.

Sam Pace Chases down a ball deep in Lakeview territory
Krista Clancy takes on a Lakeview defender

The second half was more of a challenge. Lakeview came out strong early after the break but the Huskies were up to the challenge. Midway through the period, Anna Stinson beat two defenders and the Lakeview keeper to give us a three-goal lead. Ten Minutes later, Lakeview was assessed a penalty in the box and Sam Pace finished the penalty kick for a 4-0 lead. Late in the period Lakeview scored from outside the eighteen on a nice shot under the bar. Kelly Wilkinson scored on a pass from Anna Stinson for the games final tally. A great 5-1 win for the Huskies!

Sam Pace blasts the PK past the goalie

After a slow start to the season the JV Lady Huskies are now at the .500 mark (6-6-2) following an impressive 2-0 win at Battle Creek Lakeview Wednesday. Of those six wins to date, five have been of the shutout variety. Following a scoreless first half on Wednesday, Natalie McClish dribbled into the Spartan box after receiving a beautiful cross from Melissa Trebing, and converted nicely for a 1-0 Huskie lead at the 24:57 mark of the second half. The same two hooked up again with 6:10 remaining in the match as Trebing's textbook cross found it's way to McClish's feet as the freshman beat Lakeview's goalie with a low shot to her right. Goalie Kallie Strazdas and the Husky defense led by Julia Fletcher once again held a worthy opponent off the scoreboard.

The three games-in-four-day stretch for the Huskies concludes Thursday when Gull Lake travels to Husky Field for the final home game of the regular season. It will also be Senior Night as a special ceremony honoring the five varsity seniors will be held between games. The JV contest is set for 5 p.m. with the varsity matchup to follow at 6:45 p.m. Join the Huskies in saluting these fine seniors as well as cheering on the Brown and Orange in their final tuneup before the SMAC Tournament next week.


Thanks to Carrabbas for the wonderful food and service!
Northern Defeats Stevensville-Lakeshore (Mon May 7)

The final score was 2-1 in favor of our Huskies but the score was not indicative of the dominant play by the home team. We came out strong from the beginning with multiple opportunities to put the game away early. We got on the board midway through the first half when Sarah Bouali sent the ball to Sam Pace who fired a nice shot past the Lakeshore keeper.

Rachel Meyer and Cassie VanderSloot await the corner kick from Samantha Kowalisyn. This was one of 19 corner kicks taken against Stevensville-Lakeshore.

With the start of the second half, the Huskies had a significant wind at their backs. Most of the play in the second half was in the Stevensville-Lakeshore end of the field. We had multiple corner kicks during the second half and the winning goal came off a corner kick by Anna Stinson that was headed into the net by Sarah Bouali. The defense was solid throughout the game allowing Stevensville-Lakeshore few scoring opportunities.

Sarah Bouali heads the ball in for the winning goal.

The remainder of the week will be an exciting one for Huskie soccer fans. On Wednesday the girls play highly ranked Battle Creek Lakeview at Lakeview and on Thursday they have Gull Lake at home. Come on out!

The soccer was as nice as the weather Monday at Husky Field as Coach Pat Tetreault's Junior Varsity remained undefeated in six out of their last seven games as they outplayed Stevensville-Lakeshore, 4-0, in a SMAC Crossover game. The victory raised the Lady Huskies season record to 5-6-2 with four of those "W's" coming by the shutout route. In the game, Natalie McClish opened the scoring for the Huskies when she picked up a loose ball and found the back of the Lakeshore net after Carolyn Hawkins collided with the Lancer goalie and the ball squirted away. Hawkins, Gina Schulte, and Ella Lozon were all summoned from the varsity prior to the game after a number of players became ill. Hawkins herself made it 2-0 in favor of the Huskies when her redirected chip shot, from McClish, sailed high into the visitors net. Then, with 24:28 remaining in the second half, Ella Lozon drove home a hard shot to make the score 3-0 with Gina Schulte picking up the helper. The Huskies closed out the scoring on a picture-perfect play as Sidney Helmer went directly to the middle of the Lakeshore box and chested home a perfect corner kick from Natalie McClish with just under 12 minutes remaining on the clock. Goalkeeper Kallie Strazdas and the defense were stellar again in the win.

Next action for the Huskies is on Wednesday when they travel to Battle Creek Lakeview for a matchup in what figures to be a stern test. The three-game in four-day stretch concludes on Thursday when Gull Lake invades Husky Field. Action gets underway at 5 p.m. with the JV match followed by the varsity tilt at 6:45 p.m. Thursday's game will be Senior Night so join us in saluting the Huskie seniors for the final home game of the regular season.


PN Beats Traverse City West 2-1 (Sat May 5)

It was a defensive struggle for much of the game. Both teams had scoring opportunities but neither was able to capitalize. Jillian Karrick made a couple of beautiful saves in the first half. A particularly memorable one was a diving one-hand deflection of a ball that looked to be going inside the right post. On offense our Huskies had several near misses with a number of balls bouncing off the posts. Halftime score 0-0.

Sarah Bouali tracks down a ball in front of the Traverse City goal

The game remained deadlocked until mid-way through the second period when Samantha Kowalisyn took a nice pass from Krista Clancy and put it in the back of the net. Six minutes later, Sarah Bouali finished a beautiful cross from Anna Stinson to put us up 2-0 with twelve minutes to play. Traverse City made the end of the game very interesting when they scored with about three minutes left but our Huskies held on for the victory with more solid play by the defense..

Anna Stinson drives past a Traverse City defender

In the early match, the JV Lady Huskies continued their recent fine play with a 1-1 tie to Traverse City West on Husky Field. With the tie, the Huskies are now undefeated in five out of their last six games while improving to an overall record of 4-6-2.

In Saturday's game, Erika Jansen broke a scoreless tie when she left-footed a drive, at the top of the box, past the Titans keeper at the 11:00 mark of the second half for a 1-0 Husky lead. Ashley Barnum drew the assist. However, with only 2:28 remaining in the contest, the visitors knotted the score when they chipped a shot past goalie Taylor Smith, who was solid again between the pipes since returning from an injury.

Three games in four days await the Brown and Orange this week beginning with a Crossover matchup with SMAC West opponent Stevensville-Lakeshore on Monday. Then, on Wednesday, the Huskies travel to Battle Creek Lakeview to face the Spartans followed by a Thursday home matchup with Gull Lake. Both home games begin with the JV contest at 5 p.m. followed by varsity at 6:45 p.m. Come out and bring a friend and cheer on your Huskies!!


Huskies Win at Loy Norrix 2-0 (Thurs May 3)

The Huskies came out strong in their SMAC game against Loy Norrix. The first half was played primarily in Low Norrix's zone but we were unable to capitalize until 5:30 when Samantha Kowalisyn put a blistering shot past the Norrix keeper to stake PN to a 1-0 lead an the half..

Carolyn Brown sends the ball deep into the Norrix zone

The Huskies continued to pressure Loy Norrix in the second half. However, Loy Norrix kept the Huskies from that elusive second goal until late in the second half. At 4:31 Cassie VanderSloot finished a pass from Kelly Wilkinson right in front of the Norrix goal to put the game out of reach.

The team played well with an excellent performance by the defense, which racked up their third shutout of the season.

In the early game, five different players found the back of the Loy Norrix net Wednesday as Coach Pat Tetreault's JV's defeated the host Knights, 5-0. This game was rescheduled from April 11th when snow forced it's cancellation. Kallie Strazdas was moved from goalie to a forward position and made the move work for the Huskies when she dribbled around the Norrix keeper, who lost control of the ball from a previous shot, and scored for a 1-0 lead. The margin increased to 2-0 Huskies when Erika Jansen dribbled around and through a number of Knight defenders at the 15:16 mark of the first half. Natalie McClish joined the scoring parade almost nine minutes later to make the score 3-0 Huskies at the half. Sidney Helmer increased the lead to 4-0 with ten minutes elapsed in the second half when she drove home a nice shot from deep in the box after receiving a nice airborne pass from Jansen. The Huskies' Brianna Melgar tallied the final marker of the game when she fired home a shot to the right of the goalie from just inside the 18-yard line. Sophomore goalie Taylor Smith saw her first action of the season, following an injury, and recorded the shutout.


Northern wins at Sturgis 6-1 (Mon Apr 30)

The Huskies got back on track with a 6-1 victory over Sturgis. The Huskies began the scoring at 32:30 when Sarah Bouali took a pass from Megan Hayes and finished it to put the Huskies on top. Four minutes later, Anna Stinson launched a rocket from 35 yards out to stake the Huskies to a 2-0 lead. Northern scored two more goals in the first half: Sarah Bouali got her second goal with an assist by Sam Pace and Anna Stinson got her second with an assist by Samantha Kowalisyn. Halftime score 4-1.

Cassie VanderSloot works the ball against a Sturgis defender.
Rachel Meyer returns to the lineup after being sidelined with an injury. Welcome back Rachel!

The second half picked up where the first half ended. Sturgis was called for a penalty in the box and Sam Pace drilled the ball inside the right post. The game's final tally came off a nice shot by Megan Hayes from a pass by Meg Harris. Final score 6-1. This was one of the Huskies best games of the season. The defense put on a fine performance limiting Sturgis to very few scoring opportunities and the offense scored six goals. Way to go lady huskies!!!

The JV squad bounced back in fine fashion from Friday's encounter with FHC with a solid 3-1 victory at Sturgis in a SMAC Crossover matchup. Sidney Helmer tallied her first of two goals as she rocketed a shot off the inside of the near post at the 25:05 mark for a 1-0 lead. She then made the count 2-0 Huskies with about four and a half minutes remaining in the first half when she redirected a nice cross from Erika Jansen, off her thigh, past the Sturgis goalie. The score increased to 3-0 in the second half when Melissa Trebing connected on a low shot, from just inside the Trojan box, after receiving a well-timed cross from Natalie McClish. Sturgis spoiled Kallie Strazdas' bid for a shutout just over a minute later to close out the scoring for both teams. With the victory, the JV Lady Huskies have now won two out of their last three games.


#1 Forest Hills Central Defeats PN (Fri Apr 28)

The day started out tough for our Huskies. Less than one minute into the contest, a Forest Hills player lofted a long shot from outside the eighteen that sailed in under the crossbar. They scored again fifteen minutes later on a beautiful cross that was drilled into the net from point blank range.

Cassie VanderSloot prepares to finish a free kick as Sarah Bouali races in.

The Huskies played well throughout the game and had several opportunities to make the game close but were unable to get that elusive goal. Forest Hills Central got two more goals late in the game for the final tally of 0-4.

The score wasn't indicative of the Junior Varsity game at Husky Field Friday night as a strong Forest Hills Central contingent defeated the Huskies, 4-0. It didn't take the Rangers long to get on the scoreboard with just over a minute elapsed. The visitors made it 2-0 with 17:16 remaining in the first half on a low, hard shot. However, the Huskies continued to work hard in the second half before the Rangers put the game away with two markers less than a minute apart, the first off of a corner kick. The loss snapped the Huskies two-game winning streak.


Huskies Defeat Bearcats (Wed Apr 26)

Battle Creek Central came to town on Wednesday and our Huskies were up to the task. PN got on the scoreboard early when Meg Harris took a cross from Samantha Kowalisyn for a 1-0 lead. After this goal, our scoring was fast and furious. At 30:34 Anna Stinson took a cross from Krista Clancy to put Northern up 2-0. In quick succession, Sarah Bouali finished a pass from Sam Pace and Meg Harris finished a ball from Megan Hayes to make it 4-0 at the half.

Carolyn Hawkins beats a Battle Creek defender

The Huskies continued their domination in the second half. At 24:17 Anna Stinson was unassisted as she drove by several Bearcat defenders and put a bullet past the Bearcat goalkeeper. One minute later Megan Hayes, assisted by Sarah Bouali, beat the keeper for the game's final tally.

Andrea Jones prepares to head the ball as Ella Lozon, Kelly Wilkinson, Meg Harris and Carolyn Hawkins race for position

The Huskies had a great game against Battle Creek Central. Everyone on the team contributed to the impressive victory. Go Huskies!

Gina Schulte challenges a defender for a ball in the corner

Six different players scored on Wednesday as the junior varsity Huskies outplayed Battle Creek Central on a chilly and windy day. Sidney Helmer opened the scoring for the host team four minutes into the contest. Melissa Trebing made it 2-0 from 12 yards out with just over 26 minutes remaining in the half. She then notched her second goal of the half inside the Bearcat box six minutes later with Erika Jansen picking up the assist. Helmer then tallied her second marker with a shot past the far post a mere 2 1/2 minutes later to build the lead to 4-0. The offensive show continued when sophomore Kelsey Peckels fired home a rising shot at the 11:55 mark followed by a nifty Erika Jansen goal shortly thereafter that increased the score to 6-0 at halftime. Freshman Kallie Strazdas joined the scoring parade in the second half, with nine minutes elapsed, when she unloaded a blast past the Battle Creek keeper. Following a Bearcat hand ball in their own box, sophomore Julia Fletcher closed out the scoring with a well-placed penalty kick to the left of the goalie. Strazdas and Natalie McClish shared duty between the pipes enroute to shutting out the Cereal City visitors.

After shutting out both Kal. Central and Battle Creek Central this week, Coach Pat Tetreault's squad concludes a busy "Central Week" on Friday when perennial power Forest Hills Central visits Husky Field. The action gets underway at 5:00 p.m. with the JV matchup followed by the varsity tilt at 6:45 p.m.


Northern Defeats Maroon Giants 2-1 (Mon Apr 24)

It was a hard fought contest but the Huskies ended up on the winning side of the score against Kalamazoo Central. The first half was a seesaw battle although the Huskies had the majority of the scoring opportunities. However, at the 0:27 mark of the first half Kalamazoo found the back of the net on a corner kick. Half time score: 1-0 Kalamazoo Central.

Sam Pace, Megan Hayes & Kelli Hart prepare to attack the goal on a free kick by Anna Stinson

In the second half, Northern got on track and raised up the intensity level. At the 27:45 minute mark Anna Stinson took a pass from Samantha Kowalisyn and tied the score 1-1. Three minutes later Stinson drilled a ball into the back of the net to put the Huskies up 2-1. Northern kept up the pressure for the remainder of the game and gave Kalamazoo Central few scoring opportunities. Way to go Huskies!!

Sam Pace beats a Kalamazoo defender for a scoring opportunity on a narrow goal

A busy week of three games began on the right foot Monday for the JV squad as they notched their first win of the 2007 season, a 2-0 victory at Kalamazoo Central. Natalie McClish opened the scoring for the Brown and Orange with a nice direct kick with 29:06 remaining in the first half. Then, with just under 19 minutes remaining in the game, Erika Jansen drove home a hard shot from the top of the box on an assist from McClish. It was both girls' first goals of the season. Freshman Kallie Strazdas was stellar in goal for the Huskies, registering the shutout. Northern controlled most of the action as evidenced by narrowly missing several other scoring chances.


Huskies and Mattawan Battle to a 1-1 Tie (Fri. Apr 20)

It was an absolutely gorgeous night for soccer Friday as the Huskies took on the Mattawan Wildcats. The game began with the Huskies putting pressure on the Mattawan defense. The first half was characterized by a lot of opportunities for Northern but to Mattawan's credit they kept the ball out of the net. Late in the first half, Mattawan scored as Taylor Callen made a nice shot just inside the near post assisted by Sarah Wilsey, and Mattawan was up 1-0 at the half.

Samantha Kowalisyn puts a move on two Mattawan defenders

The second half was all Huskies. Sarah Bouali scored at the 37:28 to knot the score 1-1 when she headed the rebound from her own shot (that bounced off the crossbar) convincingly in. We had multiple scoring chances, with several balls bouncing off the crossbar and posts but were unable to get that elusive winning goal. The Huskies had the momentum all through the second half, but the game ended in a well-fought tie.


Portage Central Defeats Northern 2-0 (Wed. Apr 18)

It was cold and rainy as Northern and Central resumed their cross-town rivalry at Husky Field. Northern came out strong but at 26:44 in the first half Central got on the board first. The score came off a corner kick that was headed into the back of the net by Caitlin Buckstaff. The game's final tally came off another Gretchen Schatz corner kick midway through the first half. In the second half, both teams played well, and both defenses were dominant with shots few and far between. Fans were especially encouraged to see the the home team play a strong second half against the senior-laden Mustangs. The Huskies will try and rebound this Friday at home against Mattawan. Come on out and support the Huskies!

Anna Caplis launches the ball out of the Huskie zone

Coach Pat Tetreault's JV Lady Huskies will attempt to break into the win column Friday afternoon following a 2-0 loss to arch-rival Portage Central Wednesday night. The Mustangs took a 1-0 lead into halftime on the strength of a Nicole Himes finish. The Huskies continued a valiant battle against the more experienced Mustangs in the second stanza although Natalie Hall's tally from a direct kick with just over 18 minutes remaining sealed the contest for the visitors. The Mattawan Wildcats will provide the opposition Friday at home at 5:00


Huskies go 1-1-1 at Portage/Kalamazoo 3-for-1 (Sat. Apr 14)

It was a cold and blustery day as our Huskies took on defending State Champ Okemos, and good teams from Grand Haven and Traverse City. The Huskies began the day looking for a little revenge with a rematch of the last year's regional semi-final where our Huskies lost to Okemos in a shoot-out. Okemos came out strong but our Huskies were able to keep them out of the net. We played with increasing confidence as the game progressed and at the 24:39 minute mark of the second half Sam Kowalisyn took a beautiful cross from Anna Stinson and put us on top 1-0. The game was tied at the 3:21 minute mark for a final score of 1-1.

Sarah Bouali fights for the ball with an Okemos defender

The Grand Haven and Traverse City games were defensive struggles. The Huskies won the Grand Haven on goal by Sarah Bouali on a cross from Anna Stinson. Traverse City scored twice late in the second half to take the victory.

The tournament was a great way to get back into action after Spring Break. On Wednesday the Huskies take on cross-town rival Portage Central at home. Come on out and support the Huskies. GO HUSKIES BEAT CENTRAL!!!

The JV Lady Huskies returned to the pitch for the first time in over two weeks for the Portage/Kalamazoo 3-for-1 Tournament on Saturday. Amid cold conditions at Northern's field, the Huskies were edged by a solid Okemos contingent, 1-0, in the first game. Grand Haven then provided the opposition in Game #2 and the Huskies came away with a 1-1 tie on the strength of a Kallie Strazdas goal following a scoreless first half. In the third and final game of the day, Traverse City Central took a 1-0 decision even though the Huskies displayed strong play and stout defense. Jillian Karrick was one of the workhorses on the day for PN, playing in goal for all three contests.

Next action for the Huskies is on Wednesday, April 18th when the battle of Portage resumes as Portage Central comes to the home of the Huskies (JV at 5:00 p.m., varsity at 6:45). Get there early to avoid the traffic!


Concession Stand and Admission Booth work schedule available on-line
Home games Wedneday April 18 and Friday April 20
Please check your assignments; players and fans are counting on you.


PN Opens Season with Victory at Plainwell (Thurs Apr 29)

The 2007 season started on a positive note with our Huskies defeating the Plainwell Trojans 3-1 in the season opener.

Plainwell got on the scoreboard first with a nice shot just inside the post and under the bar at 30:41 minute mark of the first half. Our Huskies responded with 16:32 left in the first half when Sarah Bouali took a pass from Meg Harris and finished it to tie the score.

The second half belonged to the Huskies. Sammy Kowalisyn took a cross from Anna Stinson and banked it in off the right post to give us the lead at 34:04. The game was put out of reach when a penalty kick was assessed against Plainwell. Sammy Kowalisyn beat the Plainwell keeper for the game's final tally.

Our Huskies played with increasing confidence as the game progressed, limiting a good Plainwell team to few scoring opportunities in the second half. Congratulations to Coach Fuehr and his staff on his first win as the Women's Head Coach at Portage Northern!!

The 2007 season opener came up short for the Husky JV as host Plainwell scored a 5-0 victory Thursday night. The Trojans scored four first-half goals, two of those by Grace Howrigon. Plainwell added one 2nd half tally even though the young Huskies showed improved play after the intermission and had several good scoring chances. After enjoying Spring Break, Coach Pat Tetreault's contingent will return to action on Wednesday, April 11th when they travel to Loy Norrix for a 5 p.m. matchup against the Knights.


Daily Practice Schedule-


Upcoming dates-

Remember Meijer Rewards for PNHS Soccer: www.meijer.com/rewards (code# 530394)


Thanks to Joe Caplis for writing the varsity game summaries, and Larry McClish for writing the JV summaries.

PRESEASON INFO- click here


PN SOCCER BOOSTERS

Officers for Fall 2006 and Spring 2007-

POSITION NAME PHONE CELL PHONE
Co-President Brian Doud 372-9918 207-2942
Co-President Don Meyer 329-6918 808-1782
Treasurer Sally Kowalisyn 327-2091 599-7129
Secretary Margie Stinson 372-2199 501-6041

The boosters meet at 7:00 p.m. in the PN Media Center. To see minutes of meetings already held, go to the boosters page.