Northwestern tied its third consecutive match at the beginning of Big Ten play with a 0-0 draw against Oregon on Sunday. The result marked the first time the Wildcats (4-1-5, 0-0-3 Big Ten) have had a three-game unbeaten streak against Big Ten opponents since 2022.

Neither team had many chances to score, with a majority of both sides’ shots blocked or off target. At the end of the game, the ’Cats had racked up four shots on target, while the Ducks (2-6-2, 0-2-1 Big Ten) had just one. 

The first half played out as a fairly even matchup, with each team managing only one shot on goal. Both attempts came as the clock ticked down at the end of the half. Sophomore forward Kennedy Roesch attempted a low shot in the 35th minute, but the Oregon goalkeeper made a save in the center of her net. 

Two minutes later, the Ducks fired a high shot down the middle, only to be stopped by freshman goalkeeper Nyamma Nelson. 

NU came into the second half with renewed attacking energy, directing two shots on goal within the first few minutes. Freshman midfielder Keira Kemmerley sent a shot toward the top right corner five minutes in, with junior midfielder Holland Carey following two minutes later with a shot at the bottom center. 

Fortunately for the ’Cats, the Ducks had zero shots on target in the entire second half, giving Nelson her fifth clean sheet of the season. All five of Oregon’s shot attempts were blocked or went off target. NU had a final shot on the bottom center of the net by junior midfielder Sarah O’Donnell fifteen minutes into the period, but that too was saved.

In the 87th minute, NU had a golden opportunity to steal all three points. Roesch picked up the ball a few yards outside the penalty area and drove to the byline on the left wing before playing a whipped ball across the six-yard box. O’Donnell arrived on time, but skied her left-footed effort over the crossbar, thrown off by the ball bouncing just before she hit it.

The ’Cats will return home to Northwestern Medicine Field on Thursday for another Big Ten matchup against Ohio State at 6:30 p.m.

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