On Sunday afternoon, a tight confrontation at Lakeside Field turned the Wildcats’ two-game winning streak – their best this season – into a two-game winless one as Northwestern fell to a physical Minnesota 1-0.
The loss was a momentum killer following last week’s 1-0 win at Michigan and Friday night’s double-overtime, 1-1 tie against Wisconsin.
The lone goal for the Golden Gophers came from midfielder Allie Phillips. The Cats (2-12-1, 1-6-1 Big Ten) were unable to score despite four shots from freshman forward Sami Schrakamp. The home team finished the game with 14 tries at the net, one short of the visitors’ 15. NU freshman goalie Anna Cassell and her Minnesota counterpart Cat Parkhill each came up with five saves.
“I’m really frustrated,” Schrakamp said. “It’s hard to see us have so many more good opportunities than them and still come out with a loss. I felt like they didn’t have much on the attack and our backline held on strong until one mishap. I just feel like we deserved to win.”
Of the 29 combined chances on the day, 23 came in the second half. Minnesota (6-8-2, 3-3-2 Big Ten) took the game to NU in the final stanza as it totaled eight shots and six corners in the first 15 minutes. One of them was bound to find the net, and eventually Phillips connected on a dangerous-looking cross for a half-volley in the 60th minute.
After the goal, the matchup turned into a Cats-dominated affair. Sophomore defender Nicole Jewell’s throw-ins and senior midfielder Jill Dunn’s corners accounted for the majority of NU’s chances, but Cats players were either physically outmatched or unable to find the finish. One of Schrakamp’s shots hit the woodwork at the 80-minute mark.
From then on, the GoldenGophers evidently stopped playing, dallying on the ball in their own half or at the corner flags. Forward Steph Brandt was booked for time-wasting in the 88th minute.
“Go for it,” a Minnesota fan shouted as the forwards failed to chase after numerous passes.
The game ended in dramatic fashion as Parkhill knocked away what looked like a sure equalizer from senior defender Nicole Duller, who was standing just yards from the net with only seconds to go.
“Sundays are hard to get going,” coach Stephanie Foster said. “We eventually did, but we have to be better (at) keeping the ball out of the net. I keep seeing these teams get more shots on us at home, but they don’t feel that dangerous to me. And it hits the back of the net, and it’s just stupid. What we need to be happening for us in the attack is happening for other teams.”
A sluggish attack limited NU early in its first contest of the weekend, as the Cats recorded just two shots in the first half against the Badgers. Wisconsin (8-5-3, 3-2-3 Big Ten) struggled to find the net as well until defender Joana Bielefeld finally opened up the scoring in the 73rd minute.
The Badgers held their lead until Cats freshman midfielder Niki Sebo opened her collegiate goal-scoring account. Dunn was at first unable to find a friendly head in the box with her 87th-minute corner, but the ball fell back to the veteran midfielder. Dunn’s second cross found Sebo, whose header equalized the game to send it into overtime.
NU was outplayed for much of the ensuing half hour, as it was only able to notch three shots compared to Wisconsin’s eight. Fortunately for the Cats, Cassell was able to maintain her outstanding performance throughout extra time, ending the game with eight saves.
“I loved the way we played and I loved our character tonight,” Foster said to NUsports.com. “I thought we played one of our best soccer games as far as possession and the way we moved the ball.”
The Cats will look to spring back to their previous ascent as they host the Fighting Illini Thursday night.
“We’re always able to build off of our mistakes and build off of what we see from film and use it to our advantage,” Jewell said. “We’ll keep working towards Illinois.”
