HOUGHTON, Mich. -- The Michigan Tech soccer team held a 1-0 lead early in the first half, but could not overcome No. 1 nationally ranked Grand Valley State second-half goal, falling 2-1 at Kearly Stadium on Sunday.

Michigan Tech (3-2-0, 1-1 GLIAC) scored its first goal at home against Grand Valley State (5-0-1, 2-0 GLIAC) in 11 seasons as senior forward Julia Pietila netted the Huskies' lone goal, her third of the weekend.

"It was a hard-fought battle against the No. 1 team in the nation. We have to figure out giving up goals early in the second half but overall it was a good game that I can't complain about," Tech head coach Melissa Kuhar said. "I told the team we needed to ride the ways and we had to hold on after scoring early and we had a lot of chances that we needed to put away. We came out flat in the second half and got punished for it. It was similar to how we started the second against Northwood earlier this week. Julia works hard and we need goals from her and she's taking that ownership. Although we've got to find other goal scorers too, it can't just be Julia getting goals for us."

The Lakers had two shots in the first eight minutes of action before the Huskies got on the scoreboard in the 12th minute. GVSU was unable to clear the ball at midfield as Taylor Noble tracked down the loose ball just outside of the box and had a one-touch to her right to a wide-open Julia Pietila deep in the six with a diving shot, beating IUPUI transfer Cailynn Junk, finding the top right corner of the net to make it 1-0 early in the contest. 

Pietila and GVSU's Alli French traded shots in the following minutes, with both goalkeepers making saves. Kennedy Bearden tied the game in the 36th minute of action following a pass out of traffic by Emma Chudik with just Tech's goalkeeper to beat on a low shot to the right side of the net.

Abby Winn nearly gave the Lakers a one-goal lead just before halftime, but Bri Barrows made a diving grab in traffic to stop Winn's shot from the far side in the 40th minute. 

It took the No. 1 team in the country just 20 seconds into the second half to take their first lead of the day with a cross by Taylor Reid initially stopped by the Huskies' defense, although the loose ball deep in the keeper's box was put away by Bearden on the rebound just out of reach by Barrows. 

Pietila had chances in the following minutes with two shots deep inside GVSU territory, although the Lakers goalkeeper made a nice kick save to stop a shot going low to the left corner of the net. Winrich had a chance to tie the game with a clean look in the 54th minute, sailing wide of the goal.

Barrows came up big for the Huskies in the 60th minute as the Lakers executed a corner kick nearly to perfection with a threatening header by Kacy Lauer fired right into the gloves of Tech's netminder.

Pietila had three more quality shots at the Laker's goal, although Junk made two clutch saves while the third attempt went wide of the net. 

Bri Barrows made four saves for the Black & Gold as Pietila and Ryley Winrich recorded four and two shots on goal, respectively.

Kennedy Bearden paced the Laker's offense with two goals as goalkeeper Cailynn Junk recorded five saves.

Up Next

The Huskies venture on their first GLIAC road trip of the season, facing Purdue Northwest on Friday at 1 p.m. and first-year GLIAC affiliate Roosevelt Sunday slated for a 1 p.m. start.