After failing to score a goal against the defending national champion Maryland Terrapins on Sept. 10, the Northwestern field hockey team had reached a critical point in its season. With a 3-2 record and a difficult upcoming schedule, the team had little room for error if it hoped to attain a top-20 ranking.
The next day, the Wildcats upset then-No. 8 American 2-1 on a late goal by junior forward Chelsea Armstrong and have yet to look back.
NU followed by defeating Ball State and then-No. 11 California, then rallied from a 2-0 deficit to knock off then-No. 18 Virginia. The Cats (7-2) are serving notice that they have hit their stride at the perfect moment: right before the start of Big Ten play.
Now, ranked for the first time this season at No. 15 in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Poll, it is difficult not to be optimistic about NU’s chances. With Armstrong at the top of her game, having taken sole possession of NU’s all-time career points lead this past weekend, along with stellar goaltending by freshman Maddy Carpenter, the Cats look to build on recent victories.
Part of the team’s success lies in its ability to convert on opportunities. NU has scored 24 goals to its opponents’ 12 despite attempting only nine more shots throughout the season. The Cats have only allowed goals on 10.2 percent of shots against the lowest percentage in the Big Ten.
The team travels to Bloomington, Ind., for a challenging conference opener on Friday against No. 18 Indiana (6-2), which recently overcame consecutive West Coast losses to beat UC Davis and Ohio. The Hoosiers hope to extend their perfect home record.
The Cats follow on Saturday by facing upstart No. 7 New Hampshire, one of only two undefeated teams in the country, out of the America East Conference. Led by the national points per game co-leader, Hayley Rausch, New Hampshire has outscored its opponents by a staggering tally of 35-6.
Entering the back half of their season, the Cats will encounter several challenging matchups, including games against No. 11 Michigan and No. 13 Iowa. But if the past four games are any indication, they will be more than ready.
