NATIONAL ACADEMY LEAGUE: Michigan Wolves U-17s dominate arch-rival Vardar

LIVONIA, Mich. – From start to finish, the Michigan Wolves dominated arch-rival Vardar at the U-17 level.

The end result was a 5-0 victory Saturday in National Academy League-Mid-America North Conference play at Schoolcraft College’s Trinity Sports Dome.

The Michigan Wolves (5-2-1) marched downfield after the opening kickoff and scored 15 seconds into the match on the game’s first shot to set the tone. The Wolves scored twice in the first half and three more times in the second half.

Forward Josyah Nozil finished with a goal and two assists to pace the Wolves, who now own a 18-7 scoring edge over eight games this season and remained in the top four of the Mid America North Conference with the lopsided win. 

Will Brukoff added a goal and an assist, while Jacob Mellors, Andrew Melkumyan and Nathaniel Greene also scored for the Wolves. Alexander Szentkiralyi drew two assists for the winners.

It was Nozil who slotted the ball from the right side over to Brukoff who turned and fired one into the back of the net before Vardar could settle in defensively in the first minute.

Nozil scored the second goal in the 22nd minute, this time coming off a cross from Szentkiralyi. The Wolves outshot Vardar 14-1 in the first half with Vardar’s lone shot coming in the 43rd minute. 

The Wolves did not take their foot off the pedal, controlling most of the play and tacking on three more goals after the halftime break. The Wolves scored in the 70th, 79th and 90+1 of the second half.

Mellors scored off a Nozil feed for the 3-0 advantage, Melkumyan sent one home off a pass from Szentkiralyi and Greene laced a banger into the net following a pass from Brukoff one minute into stoppage time to cap the scoring.

Goalkeeper Jack Wilczynski notched the shutout after registering just one first-half save.

The Michigan Wolves outshot Vardar 28-2 overall, including 16-1 with shots on goal, and even held a 10-0 edge off cornerkicks.