Through its first four nonconference tests, No. 1 Northwestern defended its home turf at Lakeside Field in emphatic fashion, winning all four matchups — two of which were against ranked opponents — by a combined score of 12-1.
Backstopped by All-American graduate student goalkeeper Annabel Skubisz, who coach Tracey Fuchs has long lauded as the nation’s premier netminder, the 2023 national finalists have appeared primed for another deep NCAA tournament run so far this season.
With the season’s first road trip this past weekend, the Wildcats (6-0, 0-0 Big Ten) stormed into Louisville, Kentucky, and extended their home hot streak to Trager Stadium. NU knocked off No. 9 Louisville and Cornell on Friday and Saturday, respectively, as Skubisz brought her season shutout total to five.
First the ’Cats took on the Cardinals (3-3, 0-0 ACC) in a rematch of their only regular-season defeat in 2023.
NU sharpened its shooting sticks early, firing three first-quarter shots to Louisville’s none. Just over 11 minutes into the game, the Cardinals’ defensive dam broke, with sophomore forward Ashley Sessa capitalizing off freshman midfielder Elaine Velthuizen’s feed to steer in her third goal of the season.
Sessa, fresh off an appearance in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games, has made an instant impact with the ’Cats since transferring in from UNC.
The tide turned in the second frame as Louisville looked to grab an equalizer. The Cardinals became the aggressors, attempting four shots in the period, but Skubisz and her backline steered away the advance.
After the halftime break, graduate student midfielder Katie Jones deflected in sophomore back Ilse Tromp’s penalty-corner shot to provide an insurance score. The ’Cats wouldn’t relinquish their lead from this juncture, nabbing a 2-0 victory.
The next day, NU crossed paths with a winless Ivy League opponent and added another blemish to Cornell’s record. Although the ’Cats converted just one of their 20 shots Saturday, Skubisz’s four-save effort stonewalled the Bears (0-4, 0-0 Ivy League) in a 1-0 win.
In the first three quarters, NU drew seven penalty corners. A play that became the team’s bread and butter in 2023, the penalty corner proved less potent during the outset of the weekend’s second game.
Neither side could find a breakthrough as the game ran on, with overtime appearing more likely by the minute. But, the neutral site clash culminated in late heroics from the ’Cats’ sensational sophomore out of Rotterdam, Netherlands.
With just 36 seconds of regulation remaining, Tromp steered in Sessa’s penalty corner, burying a game-winner at the death. The clutch conversion marked Tromp’s fourth goal of the season.
Now, a new season begins for NU this Friday in the form of Big Ten play. The ’Cats will welcome No. 6 Iowa to Lakeside Field, where NU will eye its second consecutive conference-opening victory.
The Hawkeyes (4-1, 0-0 Big Ten) have three consecutive victories in shutout fashion, setting the stage for a potential defensive duel demonstrative of the gritty style that has permeated through both Big Ten powerhouses.
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