A 3-2 overtime loss to Iowa on Friday marked the eighth straight time the Northwestern field hockey team was defeated in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament.
Friday’s match was the third time this season NU (7-13, 1-5 Big Ten) and Iowa (13-7, 5-1) faced off, with each previously winning at home by a single goal.
This was the Wildcats’ second consecutive match against Iowa in which they squandered a 2-0 lead.
But Friday’s match at Lakeside Field had higher stakes: the winner earned a spot in the semi-finals of the tournament. The loss marked the end of the season for the Cats, who finished the season on a seven-match losing streak.
“We are well-matched teams,” sophomore Meghan Small said. “I think we both play the same type of system and play well against each other.”
For the third time in the three matches against Iowa, Northwestern got on the board first. In the 20th minute of the match senior Candice Cooper scored off a penalty corner on an assist by Small.
Just one minute later Cooper scored off another penalty corner on assists from juniors Ellen Schlafly and Christine Nannicelli.
But, less then 30 seconds after Cooper’s goal, Iowa scored on a scramble in front of the cage, making the score 2-1.
The Cats held off the Hawkeyes until the end of the first half, when Iowa scored on a penalty shot with no time left on the clock, making the score 2-2 at halftime.
“I thought the team played great,” coach Kelly McCollum said. “Our field players really worked their butts off, they played a hard fought match. To sustain the level of play that we did, it shows a lot about where we are going.”
The second half was the story of the goalkeepers. Iowa’s first team All-Big Ten goalkeeper Barb Weinberg made two saves on two shots while NU’s Sherri-Anne Nyberg — in her first start in five matches — made four saves and NU managed to stop eight penalty corners. The Cats, however, failed to earn a penalty corner in the second half.
“I have prided my team on working for their positions,” McCollum said. “Sherri-Anne earned the right in practice (to start), and I think she rose to the challenge.”
With the score tied at two after regulation, NU and Iowa went to overtime for the second time this year, the first coming in a 1-0 Cats’ win.
This time around the Cats did not have the same success. With less then 40 seconds left in the first overtime, Iowa intercepted a ball in the circle and scored, giving the Hawkeyes the victory.
“Iowa has much more experience in those tight situations,” McCollum said. “Once again we lost a lead that we had. We aren’t there yet.”
On Thursday night Cooper and Small were named second team all-Big Ten. It was the second straight selection for Cooper and the first for Small.
“I was really surprised,” Small said. “I was really happy and excited.”
This year was a story of two seasons for NU as it started the season 6-3 and were nationally ranked before going 1-10 the final 11 games of the season.
“I think we have improved,” Cooper said. “But you have to realize this team is rebuilding. You can’t just jump from last place to Michigan or Michigan State, you improve slowly.”
Small added: “We’ve had a lot of ups and downs. It’s been a rough season, but we’re hoping to work hard this winter and be more consistent next year.”
Reach Abraham Rakov at [email protected].
Friday
IOWA 3
NU 2
