No. 2 Northwestern continued its best start to a season in program history this weekend, taking down Stanford 7-0 and UC Davis 11-1.
With 15 straight wins since the season’s start, the Wildcats (15-0, 5-0 Big Ten) broke the previous school record of 14 victories to start the year, set in 1985.
“It’s amazing,” coach Tracey Fuchs said. “I always say, ‘It’s not where you start, it’s where you finish,’ but it’s a tribute to that ’85 team that was amazing and for our players, all the work, just coming out every day.”
On a weekend that celebrated both NU field hockey alumni and current ’Cats senior and graduate students, the squad scored 18 goals, only allowing one goal in garbage time against UC Davis.
Friday’s matchup with the Cardinal (6-8, 0-6 ACC) was nothing short of dominant.
Sophomore forward Ashley Sessa, junior back Maja Zivojnovic and sophomore forward Piper Borz each scored two goals for the ’Cats (14-0, 5-0 Big Ten). Graduate student midfielder Katie Jones added a goal of her own as NU took down the Cardinal on Alumni Day.
“We played really well, especially on our attacking side and our circle balance,” Sessa said Friday. “We’ve been working on that, and I think it really showed in this game, just getting touches on dirty balls and putting it back in the net.”
Sessa began the scoring with three minutes left in the first quarter, following a penalty corner. The forward wrapped a shot around Stanford netminder Daisy Ford, burying a tomahawk goal to put NU up 1-0. Her second goal was equally spectacular, scoring a few minutes later by virtue of a slick wraparound shot.
Sessa, who transferred from North Carolina in July, has made an immediate impact on the squad, scoring a team-high 17 goals this season –– 11 more than anyone else on the ’Cats.
“I’m having so much fun going out with this group of girls,” Sessa said. “It’s just been an amazing season so far.”
Zivojnovic’s name was also on the scoresheet. Successfully recovered from two season-ending knee surgeries, Zivojnovic made her debut against Harvard last week.
Against Stanford, Zivojnovic scored her first goal via a perfectly executed drag flick on a penalty corner, putting NU up 5-0.
“She’s deadly on corners and she adds a lot of value, because in the backfield, she looks forward the whole game,” Fuchs said of Zivojnovic. “(I’m) so happy to have her back, it’s been a long road … It’s been a year of recovery, so I think this is definitely gonna help her mentally.”
She scored the seventh goal of the match on another corner midway through the fourth quarter.
“It means a lot to me,” Zivojnovic said of her performance. “I’ve worked really hard for the past 12 months to get back on the field … to be able to score and help the team in that way, and to get more confidence, was really, really awesome.”
Graduate student goalkeeper Annabel Skubisz had a light day in the office, facing just three shots on goal Friday as the ’Cats secured the 7-0 victory.
NU had Saturday off before taking on another Californian squad in UC Davis.
Within moments, it was evident that the Aggies (2-10, 0-4 America East) were no match for the ’Cats.
Eight different players scored for NU: Sessa, Borz, junior midfielder Greta Hinke, sophomore back Ilse Tromp, graduate student forward Chloe Relford, senior forward Lane Herbert, redshirt sophomore forward Amelia Albers and freshman forward Nadia Nemeth.
Sessa started the scoring within two minutes of game time, capitalizing on a penalty stroke. She had a hat trick by the first quarter’s end as NU plated five first-quarter goals.
Borz punched in her first of two goals four minutes later, redirecting a drag flick by Hinke in the box past the Aggie goalkeeper Sarah Lopez. The Baltimore, Maryland, native scored four goals this weekend and says she’s seen a drastic improvement from her freshman year to her sophomore year.
“My confidence has been a lot higher, and I have a year under my belt now,” Borz said. “I can really not be afraid to take the ball on my own and take a shot, just really get out there and work hard.”
An NU player assisted on 10 of 11 goals scored Sunday. The ’Cats were one goal shy of matching its largest margin of victory, a 12-1 rout of Saint Louis on Oct. 4, 2009.
“It just shows how unselfish we are,” Fuchs said Sunday. “We have people that can shoot just making that last pass, it’s impressive. When you play a team style like that, you’re hard to beat.”
Prior to Sunday’s match, the ’Cats honored their graduating seniors, a group Fuchs said contributed to “the best four to five years Northwestern (field hockey) has ever had.”
Among the graduating NU players is graduate student midfielder Lauren Wadas, who has scored four goals and notched two assists this season. Wadas has been an integral part of the NU midfield for the past five seasons, earning NFHCA All-American honors last season.
She walked through a tunnel of her teammates to celebrate her accomplishments Sunday afternoon.
“This program has meant everything to me, and I’m so grateful to be a part of it, a part of this university, and a part of such a special team,” Wadas said. “It truly means the world to me.
The ’Cats next pivot to a road test against No. 7 Michigan, where the squad will attempt to extend its record to 16 straight unbeaten, before heading northeast to East Lansing, Michigan, to take on Michigan State.
NU’s final home game of the regular season will be Nov. 1, a clash with No. 3 Ohio State. With a win, the ’Cats will cap off an 11-0 home slate.
“I’m just proud,” Fuchs said Friday. “This group has worked so hard this fall. I’m so proud of the coaching staff and the team around the team, our recruiting … we’re in a good place.”
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