No. 3 Northwestern’s offense was firing on all cylinders over the weekend, posting eight goals across two games as the team’s win streak extended to nine games.
The Wildcats have not lost since suffering a season-opening 1-0 defeat to No. 9 Louisville on Aug. 27. No. 12 Ohio State and Princeton were the team’s most recent victims, with coach Tracey Fuchs’ squad dispatching the Buckeyes and Tigers by score lines of 4-3 and 4-0, respectively.
Friday’s clash with Ohio State was NU’s second Big Ten contest of the season, and its first conference matchup on the road. The Buckeyes opened the scoring two minutes in, holding a 1-0 lead through the first 15 minutes of play.
NU leveled the score at 1-1 in the second quarter when freshman midfielder and forward Ella Kokinis cut inside to evade the Ohio State keeper and score. The tally was Kokinis’ first career collegiate goal. Right before the intermission, the Buckeyes reclaimed their one-goal advantage, marking the first time the ‘Cats trailed at halftime this season.
NU responded in emphatic fashion in the second half, notching three straight goals and clinching an eighth consecutive victory.
Graduate student midfielder and forward Peyton Halsey fired her penalty into the back of the cage in the third frame to knot the score up at 2-2.
With nine minutes left in the game, freshman forward Olivia Bent-Cole picked the ball up at midfield. The Philadelphia native proceeded to cut through multiple defenders before squeezing her shot past the outstretched Buckeye goalkeeper. Bent-Cole’s empty net tap-in with less than two minutes in regulation secured the victory for the ‘Cats.
Less than 48 hours separated NU’s victory on Friday and the team’s return to Evanston to host Princeton on Sunday.
Despite the travel, the ‘Cats didn’t skip a beat, tallying four goals in a second consecutive game while holding the Tigers scoreless.
Sophomore back Maja Zivojnovic recorded her first career hat trick, along with a defensive save in the victory. All three of Zivojnovic’s scores came on penalty corners, with Halsey capping off the 4-0 rout with a goal in the fourth quarter.
As prolific as NU’s offense was, its defense was stifling. Senior goalkeeper Annabel Skubisz recorded six saves in Sunday’s matinee, securing the team’s sixth shutout of the season.
Now squarely in Big Ten play, NU will host a pair of conference foes next weekend, facing Michigan State on Friday and No. 14 Michigan on Sunday.
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