Mother Nature is really not on Northwestern’s side whenever it plays in Minnesota.
For the second time in as many games this season, the Wildcats played the Golden Gophers in unfavorable weather conditions. Following a 2-0 loss to Minnesota (19-2-0) just more than a week ago in the regular season, NU was set to seek revenge in the first round of the Big Ten tournament Thursday. The Cats took an early lead but could not overcome the Gophers’ attack or the 50 mph winds as they lost 3-1 to end their season.
“In the second half we did not give up,” coach Stephanie Erickson said. “It was hard weather conditions. We weren’t going to get to do what we did in the first half, but nobody gave up. Minnesota just did better than us.”
Coming off their best regular-season finish under Erickson, the seventh-seeded Cats had their work cut out for them against Gophers.
Scoring opportunities were going to be tough to come by against Minnesota’s senior goalkeeper Lindsey Dare, who has allowed only 0.38 goals per game this season. But against the odds, NU got on the board first on a corner kick by sophomore forward Sam Greene that was headed in by sophomore midfielder Jennifer Bauman. The goal was Bauman’s first of the season and only the eight goal that Dare has allowed all year.
The Cats (10-9-1) led 1-0 after the first half and felt confident about their chances to upset the tournament’s No. 2 seed.
“In the first half we executed what we wanted to do perfectly,” Erickson said. “It was a great effort and everyone accepted their roles. Everything we worked on was spot on, and the corner was perfectly executed. We knew we had to take advantage on set pieces. We knew they were vulnerable.”
Outshot 9-4 in the first half, the Gophers came out firing in the second half, proving why they finished tied for first in the Big Ten. Minnesota equalized the game in the 49th minute off of a breakaway attempt, a goal Erickson blames on a defensive breakdown.
“Their first goal was a breakaway and when that happens, you know something went bad,” Erickson said. “We worked so hard on giving cover and support, and clearly we didn’t have it. It was such a glaring break down when you give up a breakaway and we can’t do that if we’re going to win these games.”
The tie didn’t last for long. Minnesota took the lead in the 60th minute off of a deflection. The Gophers’ added a third goal to make it 3-1 at the 71st minute, essentially putting the game out of reach.
With the wind against them in the second half, just as it was in the second half of their regular season match in Minneapolis, NU found it hard to muster an offensive response. The quick goals in the second half by the Gophers to take the lead took the wind out of the Cats’ sails.
“Part of the reason we were successful was that we had the wind behind our backs in the first half,” Erickson said. “In the second half, we knew we were going into the wind, but it was more than the wind. We gave up a goal so early in the second half. I think it really hurt us, as far as our confidence and our mentality. We kind of let things spiral at that point. We had the game under control for most of the second half, but at that point it was too late.”
Aside from the second half collapse – due in large part to the weather – the first-half effort against one of the best teams in the Big Ten was inspiring for Erickson. Heading into next season, Erickson knows she can build on that performance so the next time they make it to the tournament, they will be prepared to weather the storm.
“I think it was really disappointing that it went that way in the second half because it was one of our best weeks of training,” Erickson said. “Everything we wanted to do, we did in this game. We just didn’t do it long enough. But it’s also a sign of really good things for us, because we’re going to put it all together. I have no doubt about it.”
Jessie Cai contributed to this story.
