A strong defensive performance and a last-minute rally were not enough for Northwestern to upset No. 12 Iowa on Tuesday. The Hawkeyes downed the Wildcats in their first of two meetings this year, 4-3.

Iowa (8-4, 1-1) struck just three minutes into the match and took the lead. Northwestern (6-5, 0-3 Big Ten) tied the game at 1 less than three minutes later on freshman Jill Putnam’s first goal of the game.

The Cats’ defense allowed just one goal on three shots in the first half. NU mustered nine shots against the Hawkeyes in the first 35 minutes.

Iowa exploded offensively eight minutes into the second half when it scored two goals less than two minutes apart and took a 3-1 lead.

Junior Meghan Small responded for the Cats with an unassisted goal at the 50-minute mark, cutting Iowa’s lead to 3-2.

Small has seven goals on the season.

Less than 10 minutes later, junior goalkeeper Sherri-Anne Nyberg allowed her fourth and final goal of the game as the Hawkeyes took a 4-2 lead.

The Cats rallied with less than 10 minutes to play when Putnam notched her second score of the game and her tenth of the season. Putnam has three multi-goal games this season.

NU was unable to capitalize on its late-game momentum and dropped its second game in a row and fourth of its last five.

Iowa took 15 shots in the second half and allowed only six for the Cats’ offense. Both teams took eight penalty corners throughout the game.

NU is back in action Saturday against No. 7 Indiana (10-1, 2-0) in Bloomington. The Hoosiers are one of four ranked Big Ten teams and are riding a seven-game winning streak. The Cats will stay in Bloomington overnight and will face Lindenwood (2-3) on Sunday.

Reach Jason Prager at [email protected]