Michigan Tech midfielder Peyton Wetzel turns to try to keep the ball away from a Cedarville player during a match Thursday, Sept. 11, at Kearly Stadium in Houghton. (David Archambeau/For the Gazette)

HOUGHTON — After starting the season 0-4, the Michigan Tech Huskies soccer team opened their first conference game with a goal against 18 seconds in.

Not the start they were looking for.

But, from there, the Huskies outscored their opponents 4-1 from there, earning a draw against Wisconsin-Parkside and a win over Roosevelt.

“Friday was a little bit of a good and a bad day,” said Huskies coach Melissa Kuhar. “Like we shot ourselves in the foot 18 seconds in, which didn’t help, and then you’re clawing back all game in a game that we arguably should have competed a little better in, and capitalized on some of our chances. But, I think it was a good momentum kind of drive into Sunday. I told our girls after the game, ‘Getting points in this conference for ties and wins is hard. That doesn’t come by very easy. You’re going to grind out every game regardless.’

“So, for us, using that as a bit of momentum, we weren’t satisfied with the tie, because we knew we could have potentially won. Then heading into Sunday, I think, kind of rocketed us into really coming out strong in that first half, and what we did as a result on Sunday.”

Kuhar felt that while she was disappointed with the quick start, she felt that her team could, and would, respond.

It took 30:15, but freshman midfielder Peyton Wetzel did even things.

“I was upset it happened, because we shouldn’t have let it happen,” Kuhar said. “I knew our team would claw back. We weren’t just going to put our heads down and give up, which is something I think, at times last year, could have easily happened. This year, I think the culture of what we have going on, and just the energy of the team, they believed they could come back from it, and responded in a good manner to do that, because they could have easily hung their hat. That game easily could have been way out of control.”

Kuhar said that, despite the way the first four games went, she thought her team was capable of bouncing back.

“I think what belief our coaching staff has kind of instilled in our players, they believe in themselves,” she said. “I think, more than anything, we’re so angry at losing. Not necessarily like giving up, but just so angry, because they knew they were better. (The) non-conference games, they were tough teams on purpose. It really almost, through our freshmen, through some of our players that haven’t played at the college level yet, throw them into the deep end a bit and said, ‘OK, it’s sink or swim.’ So, that’s why we do that, and why we have those tough games, because it helps grow.

“I think some of that growth in adversity moments helped us when we hit adversity on Friday. It helped us get through it. I don’t think, if we didn’t have those four games, that we wouldn’t have got through Friday’s game and clawed back. (We) almost scored in the end, right? We almost scored in the last 10 seconds of the game. So again, I think it was the adversity we went through in our non-conference games, honestly, (that) prepared us tremendously for the adversity we’re going to face in our conference, because our conference is tough.”

Wetzel struck again Sunday to put the Huskies up 1-0 against Roosevelt 11:25 in. She was followed by goals from junior defender Allison Millina and freshman midfielder Kenzie Dollison.

“I hope other people can start to step up too,” said Kuhar. “I mean, Kenzie had a great kind of finish as well on Sunday, but, we’re calling on Peyton in some of those tougher moments when we’re down, or when we need some energy.

“There’s also other players getting chances. It’s now just finishing the chances. We’re creating more in our attack that we weren’t necessarily creating at the beginning of the year, which is nice to start seeing. Our three goals in Sunday’s first half was awesome, right?”

Kuhar said she feels that the offense should start to flow better as the team gains confidence.

“I think the goals are going to start kind of coming,” she said. “Again, all the pieces are kind of coming together. Production is going to happen, but when you’re trying to get a ton of people on board, it takes time. It’s not just going to click and be perfect.”

Scouting the Panthers

The Davenport Panthers come into this weekend 0-4-2 on the season and 0-2 in GLIAC play after a pair of losses to Ferris State and Saginaw Valley State.

The Panthers are young, with 18 freshmen in the lineup. Two of those freshmen, forward Sofia Capoccia and forward Madelyn Schamanek each have one goal. The other goal the Panthers have was scored by sophomore forward Kyle Shelton.

Senior keeper Bailey Gauthier has a 1.67 goals against average and .667 save percentage on the season.

Scouting the Lakers

The No. 3 Grand Valley State Lakers are 4-1 on the season after defeating Saginaw Valley State in their first GLIAC match of the season last Friday.

They are led offensively by sophomore forward Sarah Fromm, who has three goals in her first five games, but has not scored in her last three. Junior forward Alli French has two goals, one in each of her last two games.

Redshirt freshman Sara Csernyik has seen action in four games, with a 1.14 goals against average and a .556 save percentage.