The comeback Cats fell just short at Penn State on Saturday, losing 4-3 in a conference showdown that delivered on its pre-game hype.
Junior forward Chelsea Armstrong rallied No. 16 Northwestern (10-4, 1-2 Big Ten) from a 3-1 halftime deficit with two penalty corner goals. The Wildcats defense held strong from there until freshman Taylor Herold scored nearly eight minutes into overtime to hand NU its second Big Ten road loss.
“They capitalized immediately,” senior back Megan Jamieson said, “but we knew we were capable of coming back.”
No. 7 Penn State (8-3, 2-0) wasted no time in pressuring freshman netminder Maddy Carpenter. Kelsey Amy, the backbone of the Nittany Lions’ offense, connected fewer than eight minutes into the game.
“We knew that Amy had a good shot,” Jamieson said. “They were able to get a corner and she scored from the left side of the circle.”
NU coach Tracey Fuchs then substituted sophomore midfielder Maria Kovalchuk into the game. Kovalchuk responded with her fifth goal of the season to even the score.
The Cats wilted near the end of the first half, allowing goals to freshman Laura Gebhart and sophomore Brittany Grzywacz. Penn State chalked up five additional shots in the waning minutes before intermission. Still, Fuchs was confident that the team would right its course.
“It was a pretty even game,” Fuchs said. “I told the players we were right in it the whole time.”
“At halftime, we knew we could come back,” senior forward Regan Mooney added. “We worked as a team and had faith.”
Creating penalty corner opportunities proved instrumental in the Cats’ second half surge. After missing her first two shots, Armstrong beat redshirt junior goaltender Ayla Halus on a corner for her 18th goal of the year. Her 19th came in a similar situation with fewer than ten minutes remaining. Mooney and sophomore back Julia Retzky each assisted on both goals.
“It was a defining moment for the season,” Fuchs said. “I was happy with the mentality we came out with in the second half. It was dynamite.”
Overtime was a suitable conclusion to an even matchup. NU had its chances, but Halus denied shots by Armstrong and Mooney to keep Penn State alive. Herold converted a minute and 12 seconds after being subbed in, lifting the Nittany Lions to a gritty home win.
Though disappointed by the close defeat, NU focused on positive elements of the game.
“We never looked down,” Jamieson said. “We’re as talented as anybody.”
After slow starts in the past two games, NU will need to prove itself early against No. 14 Michigan (8-3, 1-1) on Friday at home. The Wolverines knocked off No. 12 Iowa 2-0 in their most recent outing.
NU finished its away schedule with a 4-3 record, and Jamieson said the team is eager to play its final six games of the regular season at Lakeside Field.
“We’re excited,” Jamieson said. “There’s the pride of defending our home turf.”
