Field Hockey: No. 3 Northwestern falls short Saturday, losing to Rutgers 2-1 on the road
Esther Lim/The Daily Northwestern
Senior midfielder Alia Marshall drives the ball down Lakeside Field against Penn State players. Marshall played a central role in the defensive line against Rutgers.
October 10, 2022
After a competitive battle on the road, Northwestern (10-3, 1-3 Big Ten) fell short against Rutgers Saturday 2-1, earning its third loss of the season.
The Wildcats’ defense struggled early in the matchup, allowing Rutgers to score both of its goals in the first half. While both teams had five penalty corners, the Scarlet Knights outshot the group 12-to-10 in the full sixty minutes. Junior goalkeeper Annabel Skubisz recorded three saves in the game, but Rutgers pushed past NU’s strong defensive barrier to score.
From the start of the first quarter, the Cats struggled with intensity on the defensive end of the field. NU was off its game initially, making miscues in transition and allowing the Scarlet Knights to get second chances inside the circle.
Despite the lone goal, the Cats fought for all of regulation. Senior midfielder Peyton Halsey put NU on the scoreboard against the Scarlet Knights late in the third quarter. The senior took her second penalty stroke of the season for the team, highlighting her central role as the offense’s point person for this tactic.
With back to back losses in the conference schedule, the Cats have experienced issues as they dive deeper into the regular season. As NU approaches a run for another championship, it is critical the team stays on their game with ranked matchups ahead.
The squad will be back on the road this week to face Michigan State and Ohio State this weekend.
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