David Archambeau/For the Gazette Michigan Tech defender Molly Bolang attempts to keep the ball from a Ferris State forward during a game Sunday, Oct. 6, at Kearly Stadium in Houghton.

By DAVER KARNOSKY

dkarnosky@mininggazette.com

HOUGHTON — The Michigan Tech Huskies soccer team has not scored a goal since Sunday, Sept. 29, in a 6-0 win over GLIAC-newcomer Roosevelt. That game also marked the last time the Huskies won, as they have five straight times since.

This weekend, the Huskies return to the confines of Kearly Stadium for their final two home matches of the season as they look to improve on their 4-8 record overall and 2-7 record in conference play.

The pathway to victories starts with scoring, something that first-year coach Melissa Kuhar knows quite well. Kuhar was a keeper for St. Joseph’s College, a school that no longer exists in the form it did when she was there, and she saw her fair share of losses and struggles while there.

“As a player, you look back on my record, luckily the school doesn’t exist anymore, so you can’t find it,” she said. “It’s pretty hard, but (I) didn’t win many games as a college player at the school I graduated from. It’s not fun to lose, and sometimes you just want to catch a break. I think if I had a billion dollars, I still couldn’t buy a goal. I think, hopefully, this weekend the floodgates just open, and we get a bunch.”

As an assistant coach, she saw a similar experience happen during her time at Drury.

“My first year at Drury, we didn’t make the conference tournament, and then the next year, we won it and went on to the national tournament,” she said. “It’s kind of reminding myself of that, as well, and reminding the girls, it’s a process, it’s a journey.

“I’m asking them to do a lot of different things that maybe they didn’t have to in the past.”

Kuhar said that a phone call from one of her parents helped remind her of that after the Huskies lost last Friday to Davenport, 1-0..

“My dad left a voicemail on my phone after Friday’s game,” she said. “That was a tough one. He reminded me, it’s a process, it’s a journey. It’s not going to happen overnight. As much as you want it to, it’s not going to. That’s why I keep reminding the girls, it’s going to happen eventually. It may not be this year, but eventually, things are gonna all fall into place.”

Kuhar felt that the Huskies played two very solid games last weekend, and they deserved a better fate in the end.

“It’s tough when you lose games, two decently-close games,” she said. “Look at the Ferris State game, we did out shoot them, and have more corners and stuff. I think, honestly, (we) had the better run of play in that Sunday game. So, it’s tough, but I think the positives coming out of it is a good shift of momentum from our girls. I think they’re starting to believe that they maybe can finally win again, kind of slowly creeping out of that hole.

“We had some quality chances. Sunday’s game should have been 2-1. We had a goal taken back late, and then we should have gotten a tie, probably, out of Friday. But again, it’s just we build on it, and we kind of move forward. Hopefully, this weekend, (we) have some success here at home for the last weekend.”

A reason for the improved play was the return of fifth-year midfielder Kiersen Korienek, who returned to the lineup against Davenport.

“She’s a nice little force up there,” said Kuhar. “(She) and Julia work pretty well off of each other, and she’s just an older player that knows kind of what to expect out of teams. It was nice to kind of have her back up there and get her back from injury.”

SCOUTING THE PRIDE

The Purdue Northwest Pride improved to 6-1-5 overall and 3-1-4 in GLIAC play after defeating Wisconsin-Parkside on Friday, 1-0.

Senior forward Amaris Gonzalez leads the team in scoring with four goals and nine points. The only other player with more than one goal is senior forward Emma Carter, who scored one of her two goals against Michigan Tech in their preview matchup.

Sophomore Meta Fischer has taken over the keeping duties. She has started nine games, going 5-1-4 with a 0.74 goals against average.

SCOUTING THE LAKERS

The Roosevelt Lakers are still searching for their first win of the season and their first win in conference play. They are 0-8-4 overall this season, and 0-7-2 in GLIAC play after losses to No. 24 Grand Valley State and Wisconsin-Parkside last weekend.

Senior midfielder Paola Macias leads the Lakers in scoring with two goals and five points in 12 games. Four others have one goal each.

Junior keeper Roxy Herrera has seen all the action in net for the Lakers, going 0-8-4 with a 2.58 goals against average.

GAME TIMES

The Huskies and Pride are set for the opening kick at 5 p.m. Friday at Kearly Stadium in Houghton. Sunday, the Huskies and Lakers will face off at 12 p.m.