Northwestern had a week to prepare for Wisconsin after losing its first game of the season against Penn State on Sept. 29. The No. 7 Wildcats were still searching for a boost of energy to replace injured midfielder Carl Pett.
They got the spark they needed very quickly.
Sophomore defender Mark Blades – taking his turn in the midfield replacing Pett – took a pass from freshman forward Matt Eliason in the box and scored to give NU a 1-0 lead just four minutes into the game.
Junior defender Geoff Fallon and senior midfielder David Roth fed off the early goal energy, each adding one goal, as the Cats (8-1-1, 2-1-0 Big Ten) shut out the Badgers 3-0 on Saturday at Lakeside Field.
“I felt it really boosted the energy because an early goal always helps – especially that early,” Blades said. “It gives everyone a lot of confidence and makes everyone more energetic and more excited. So it makes everyone want to play.”
The confidence of the offense inspired the defense as NU kept Wisconsin (5-4-2, 0-2-1) from sustaining an offensive attack while building the lead. The Badgers had only two shots in the first half. The Cats had eight.
NU claimed a three-goal lead on Roth’s 55th minute free kick goal. The Cats then sat back on defense, allowing the Badgers to increase pressure on their defense.
But NU maintained the three-goal lead thanks to strong defense and play from sophomore goalkeeper Misha Rosenthal. Rosenthal earned his seventh shutout of the season, tying the school record set by J.D. Martin in 2002.
“(When the defense) does break down, Misha is there to make the play. That’s been the mantra of our wins,” NU coach Tim Lenahan said. “When we didn’t win, our defense broke down and Misha made a mistake on the first goal at Penn State. He’s allowed one a year, I told him. But he’s made 20 positives, so his plus-minus is quite high.”
The Badgers outshot the Cats 9-2 in the second half. But Rosenthal and the defense were up to the challenge each time.
“We really stayed organized,” Roth said. “We didn’t lose our composure back there when things weren’t going completely right. If you have an organized defense (and) everyone knows what they are supposed to do, it works out like it did today.”
NU adjusted its lineup, still trying to find a replacement for Pett. Lenahan started Blades in the midfield, flipping him with Fallon – who started the last game in Pett’s place.
Blades paid immediate dividends with the fourth-minute goal to give the Cats a 1-0 lead. Fallon added the second goal in the 25th minute.
“You get a goal right away, it makes it a lot easier to settle down and focus on the game,” Fallon said. “You can settle in and get your rhythm. You know you have one. You know you’re up. You know you can relax and you can play a little easier.”
Reach Philip Rossman-Reich at [email protected]
