The Wildcats carried a six-game winning streak into the game Friday and used that momentum to score the first two goals of the contest.

The Spartans did not shy away from the competition, as sophomore forward Allie Ahern netted a goal with 15 minutes left in the game. That was the only ball that would trickle into the net, as the Spartans were defeated 2-1.

Although Ahern was the name everyone will see in the box score, head coach Helen Knull credits the whole team in keeping the game competitive. Having a strong defense that held the Wildcats to two goals out of 16 shots gave the offense a chance, but their efforts were shut down as well.

Despite ripping 14 shots in the offensive battle, the Spartans fell to the tough Wildcats and headed north to face the Chippewas (7-9, 3-1 MAC).

On paper, a CMU matchup might seem like an easier game for the Spartans, but that was not the case, as the Spartans went into overtime with the Chippewas, eventually winning, 2-1.

Knull was not surprised with the hard-fought game against the Chippewas.

“Every time we play Central, it is a close game,” Knull said. “They are one win away from winning the MAC title, so they have been playing really well.”

The game displayed an offensive shootout, as the Spartans took 18 shots while the Chippewas had 15. Offense, however, wasn’t the only showcased skill, as the Spartans’ junior goalkeeper Molly Cassidy and Chippewas’ senior goalkeeper Anastasia Netto both had eight saves on the game.

The strong goaltending performance was not enough to stop sophomore forward Abby Barker from scoring both goals in the game. The big play of the game was Barker’s breakaway goal scored a minute into overtime, giving her 16 goals on the year.

The Spartans look to create a winning streak as they play their season finale at noon on Saturday against Penn State.