Sophomore substitute midfielder Jayvin Van Deventer reignited Northwestern’s offense Sunday, notching an assist and a sensational-solo goal in the No. 12 Wildcats’ 2-0 win over Rutgers. 

Following an uninspiring 0-0 draw against Green Bay Tuesday, coach Russell Payne trusted his substitutes with substantial minutes against the Scarlet Knights. Van Deventer reaffirmed his coach’s faith in the bench with his best performance of the season.   

“We call our bench game changers,” Payne said. “That has been our strength all season.”

Rutgers goalkeeper Ciaran Dalton was busy Sunday as the ‘Cats put seven shots on goal. He denied sophomore forward Christopher Thaggard from point-blank range in the 43rd minute and made diving saves to his left on shots by senior forward Justin Weiss in the 59th and 65th minutes, respectively. 

But the game became even more opportune for NU in the 75th minute, when the referee showed Scarlet Knights defender Chris Tiao a second yellow card after he fouled junior midfielder Collin McCamy. 

Three minutes later, graduate student forward Ugo Achara Jr. was finally able to put the ‘Cats ahead. 

Van Deventer received a pass on the far sideline, turned over his left shoulder and sprinted past his over-committed defender into open space. He passed the ball to a charging Weiss, who laid it off with his left foot to an open Achara for a point-blank finish into the bottom-left corner.

Eight minutes later, Van Deventer broke down the defense on his own with some precision dribbling and hammered home an insurance goal for the Wildcats. 

With a defender on his back and another charging towards him, the sophomore simultaneously spun to his left and chipped the ball ahead to himself, splitting both defenders in the process. With one man to beat inside the 18-yard box, he cut to his right and gave himself a cushion of space. Dalton only watched as Van Deventer’s shot towards the near post found the back of the net.

Just as he has done all season, Payne relied on a bevy of substitutes to keep players fresh throughout the game. Eight different players that started the game on the bench saw minutes Sunday, and the head coach did not shy away from calling on underclassmen including freshman defender Owen Noverr and freshman midfielder Peter Riesz. 

Van Deventer played 37 crucial minutes Sunday and spoke afterwards about the mentality he and the other reserves carry into each game.

“This year especially we have a great team,” Van Deventer said. “Even if you’re not starting, it doesn’t mean you’re not an important part of the team. So it’s about getting ready to create an impact off the bench.”

After Tuesday, Payne said the ‘Cats became too reliant on their defenders to make incisive passes to break down the opposing defense. He mentioned that NU is at its best when building out of the back and playing through skilled facilitators in the midfield, rather than forcing defenders to play the ball longer distances up the field.

Sunday saw the ‘Cats get back to their identity on offense, as midfielders played a part in both goals. Payne was pleased with the intensity his midfield showed, looking to beat defenders and make plays in attacking areas.  

“It’s not sustainable for us to bypass our midfield game,” Payne said. “And we don’t intentionally bypass them, but we can tell when they really want the ball and are looking to receive it in good pockets. And now you can see a little more possession from us, a little more of the extra pass, the key pass. It leads to better chances.”

NU will need its depth to contribute and its midfield to play consistently on the road against No. 19 Penn State Friday. The Nittany Lions are three points behind the ‘Cats in the Big Ten standings. 

NU will look to continue its surprising turnaround this season, as it remains unbeaten through its first 12 games for the first time since 2008.

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Twitter: @colincapece 

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