Ferris State Soccer Earns Big 2-0 Win Over Saginaw Valley State in Final Regular Season Road Game

University Center, Mich. – The Ferris State University women's soccer team defeated the second place squad in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) standings, Saginaw Valley State University, 2-0 Sunday (Nov. 2) in University Center.

The Bulldogs (6-4-6, 6-3-3 GLIAC) earned a big win in conference play, bringing their GLIAC points total to 21 this year. Ahead of the Bulldogs in the standings are Parkside and SVSU with 25 points each and Grand Valley State University in first place with 30 points. All four teams have two games remaining in the regular season with FSU playing both its remaining contests at home.

Sophomore goalkeeper Korinne Ihrke tallied her fifth shutout of the season with a strong seven-save performance against the Cardinals. Natalia Leavens had two assists in the game, bringing her season total to three and tying her with Bella Vallone for the team lead. It was also her first career game with multiple assists.

Katherine Welch put the Bulldogs up 1-0 at 12:38 with her team-leading fifth goal of the season. Leavens chased down a ball on the right side of the field, got around a Cardinal defender and passed to Welch in the box for a right-footed shot into the lower left corner for the goal. Leavens got her second assist of the year as the Bulldogs jumped out to an early lead.

FSU scored again at 89:26 with a goal from Grace Sampson. SVSU goalkeeper Lainey Garbarz tried to clear the ball, but Leavens knocked it down and passed to Sampson at the top of the box. She fired a shot past Garbarz for her third goal of the year.

With the win, FSU pulled closer to both Parkside and SVSU in the GLIAC standings with two regular season games remaining. Both games are at home for Ferris State with one coming against the Rangers.

In Sunday's game, Ferris State had 10 shots on goal, five corner kicks and eight fouls. The Cardinals had seven shots on goal, six corner kicks and 10 fouls. They also received two yellow cards.

Individually, Welch had a game-high five shots on goal while Vallone had two. Vallone, Welch, Isabella Baron, Anna Thelen, Lauren McCaul and Ella Wolf each played 90 minutes.

The Bulldogs will conclude the regular season with two matches at home next weekend. First, Parkside comes to Big Rapids Thursday (Nov. 6) for a 1 p.m. (ET) start. FSU's regular season finale is set for Saturday (Nov. 8) at 1 p.m. (ET) against Roosevelt. Both games will be streamed live on FloCollege.