Northwestern played hard and aggressive against Iowa on Thursday but fell short for its fourth loss in a row. The Wildcats put together a late second-half charge against the Hawkeyes, but it was unsuccessful. NU was unable to convert on any of its three penalty corners in the last five minutes of the game and fell 3-1 to No. 5 Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa.
The Cats and the Hawkeyes have played some very entertaining games this year, and this contest just added to the history. On Oct. 5, freshman goalie Katie Lynch saved 14 goals in a 5-1 loss in Evanston. Coach Kelly McCollum also got her first win against a Big Ten opponent versus Iowa in 2004.
Iowa (14-2, 5-1 Big Ten) struck first, scoring in the second minute of the game. The Hawkeyes’ Meghan Beamesderfer scored an unassisted goal at the top of the circle to put Iowa ahead 1-0. The Cats (4-12, 0-5) answered right back when sophomore Stephanie Fortson scored her first goal at NU on a deflection in front of the cage.
NU’s defense was unable to stop Iowa as the Hawkeyes answered back quickly with a goal just before the end of the first half, putting Iowa ahead 2-1. Iowa added some insurance in the second half, when the Hawkeyes’ Adrienne Dybus received an assist from her teammate Caitlin McCurdy that put Iowa up 3-1.
The Hawkeyes’ three goals proved to be enough as the Cats were unable to answer. NU did not go down without a fight, though. The Cats’ offense stepped up, earning three penalty corners in the last five minutes of the game and six penalty corners overall. Senior Cassie Miler fired two shots but was unable to convert on either one, as Iowa stepped up its defense. One of Miller’s shots was saved by goalie Lissa Munley and the other was blocked by the defense.
The Cats’ last shot on goal came from Courtney Plaster-Strange. Her shot also was stopped short of the net by Munley, her third save of the game.
With the loss, the Cats remain winless in the Big Ten with only one game left in the season.
NU finishes out the regular season Sunday against Indiana (7-8, 0-5) in Bloomington, Ind.
– Cleyana mayweather
