When Northwestern’s current senior class arrived in Evanston, winning wasn’t the norm. Times have changed.
“We’re used to winning at this point,” goalie Misha Rosenthal said. “When we have a loss, it’s like it’s the end of the world. That’s usually a sign of a really good team.”
When this year’s class of seniors was being recruited in 2005, coach Tim Lenahan’s pitch was the team had just made its first-ever NCAA tournament appearance.
“I didn’t have to sell them on the dream of being pretty good,” Lenahan said. “But since they’ve gotten here, we’ve been consistently a standout program.”
The fourth-years, who will play their final regular season game on Senior Day at Lakeside Field this Saturday, still haven’t missed the tournament – and considering they’re ranked No. 17 in the country, they’ll likely become the first class in school history to make the field all four years in their collegiate careers.
“Coach (Tim) Lenahan told us, ‘You’ve got to eat your broccoli before your dessert,'” forward Eamon O’Neill said. “But we’ve been fortunate. If we make this tournament, the fourth in a row, it’ll put the icing on the cake.”
If NU (9-3-4, 2-2-1 Big Ten) beats Michigan State (10-5-2, 2-3) on Saturday, Indiana beats Penn State and Ohio State ties, the Cats will bring home their first ever Big Ten championship. It may not be the likeliest scenario, but just being close is better than where they were when they got here.
“I had it in my dreams,” O’Neill said. “I envisioned it at night. I hoped we could get here.”NU got to where it is now largely due to the four starters the team is about to lose, all part of NU’s vaunted defense: Pat Coleman, a central defender, left back Mark Blades, who was named to the Hermann Trophy watch list at the beginning of the year, right back Drew Pavlovich, who is listed as a redshirt junior but doesn’t plan on returning, and Rosenthal, a fifth-year senior who has started at goalie since 2005. Aside from two matches Rosenthal missed with a concussion, this foursome has started every game this season.
Coleman and Blades have started every game since they’ve arrived at NU, with the exception of three games Coleman missed his freshman year. Pavlovich, on the other hand, is experiencing his first year as a starter after serving as a reserve his first two seasons. Together, the group has gelled into a cohesive defensive unit that has allowed only 1.06 goals per game this season.
In addition, the team will graduate forwards O’Neill and Kevin Valenta, who have appeared in every game this season. O’Neill tallied two go-ahead goals with less than five minutes to go this season against Drake and Penn State, but both were quickly countered by the opposition. Valenta’s goal against Wisconsin was the first of his career, partly due to an ACL tear he suffered as a freshman.
“They’re all unique in their impact,” Lenahan said. “But collectively this group has put their stamp on this program.”
And with a victory on Senior Day, the winningest group in NU history has a chance to do something it didn’t even think was possible.
“I always thought that we could win a Big Ten championship,” defender Coleman said. “I wanted to believe that this team could be good. Looking back, I don’t know if I really thought that it could happen.”[email protected]
