By Brian ReganThe Daily Northwestern

In its final homestand, Northwestern played two different games.

In the first it was a game where the Wildcats (7-10, 1-5 Big Ten) were unable to draw a penalty corner in the second half against No. 8 Penn State (12-3, 3-1), frustration was main emotion left on the field.

Two days later against Iowa (8-7, 2-3), the Cats mustered enough desire to win in their last home game of the season, but the result was the same.

“We came out hard on Friday, but we had a couple of instances where we weren’t on the same page,” forward Jill Putnam said. “But (yesterday) we came out and played the whole 70 minutes. They had a lucky chip, but it happens like that.”

Putnam’s goal late in the first half helped keep the Cats in the game until the very end.

Both teams played hard after the break and a deadlock persisted until a backdoor run sent a shot past goalie Emily Kyle for Iowa to take a 2-1 lead with 3:03 remaining in the game.

The energy was intense for the Cats, who faced an Iowa team that had dismantled them two weeks earlier.

“When went to play last time, we just didn’t come out, there was no spark and something was missing,” back Christina Foley said. “The energy wasn’t there. It helped to be at home. There was a pride and territorial factor.”

The Cats kept the loud Iowa fans out of their minds for most of the game, while trying to hear their own. So many people came out for the game Sunday that seating, normally a guarantee, was almost nonexistent for tardy fans.

“(The fans) really helped,” Kyle said. “Everyone played like they had nothing to lose because it was their last home game this year, or ever, and the fans were great.”

While the team was cheery even after a tough loss on Sunday, the disappointment Friday was even greater.

NU couldn’t stop Penn State’s Allison Scola, who recorded a hat trick. Only a late goal by forward Alex Quinn prevented the shutout.

“We started out strong, but we just lost it,” Kyle said. “We got discouraged after the first few goals and couldn’t get our game back.”

The Cats couldn’t get anything going in the second half, where they were constantly pressured by the Nittany Lions.

But on Sunday, the team rectified many of the mistakes it made against Penn State and played what Foley said was one of its best matches of the season.

“In the beginning of the season we played close with Indiana, but didn’t play our best game,” Foley said.

“As the season has gone on and we face more Big Ten teams, I think we have become a better team. Even though the results aren’t there yet, but I’m proud of the way we played today.”

Reach Brian Regan at [email protected].