When junior forward Ashley Sessa deflected the ball off her stick, the stakes were already high in the third quarter of No. 2 Northwestern’s matchup against No. 13 Michigan.
But during halftime, No. 20 Indiana sealed an overtime victory over No. 18 Ohio State, opening the door for the Wildcats (15-1, 7-0 Big Ten) to clinch the Big Ten regular season title with a victory.
When the ball hit the back of the net, NU took a 2-1 lead and never looked back, claiming a 3-1 victory over the Wolverines. The ’Cats won their third straight regular season conference championship for the first time since 1983-85.
NU also defeated No. 18 Ohio State 7-0, marking the ’Cats’ highest-scoring performance of the year and sixth straight victory over their conference foe. NU has now won four straight ranked games since falling to then-No. 8 Princeton.
“Every game, even that game (against Princeton) was a great game,” coach Tracey Fuchs said postgame Sunday. “We just try to come out and get better every day. We’re really starting to click, and this is the time to do it.”
The ’Cats opened the weekend against Michigan on Friday at Lakeside Field and looked to avenge their loss from last year’s Big Ten Tournament.
The first quarter saw minimal action on the offensive end, with the squads combining for one total shot attempt.
In the second quarter, graduate student forward Grace Schulze took a penalty corner and slotted the ball to redshirt junior forward Aerin Krys. She left it waiting for sophomore midfielder Laura Salamanca, who knocked it past the goalkeeper for the score.
“Selfless passing, selfless leading, that’s really what made the difference,” junior forward Olivia Bent-Cole said about the offense Sunday. “We have so many good players up front. I think just being able to lead off each other and play for each other is what has really helped us.”
It was Salamanca’s second career goal and first of the season. NU stayed on the attack for the remainder of the quarter, outshooting the Wolverines 8-0 but still held the same 1-0 lead into halftime.
Michigan stormed out in the third quarter, as defender Eva Bernardy scored after a penalty corner on the team’s first shot attempt of the game. With under six minutes remaining in the third quarter, Michigan forward Esmée de Willigen received a yellow card. NU took advantage of the short-handed Wolverine squad, and after Krys knocked the ball in the direction of the goal, Sessa tipped it in for the score and the lead.
The ’Cats looked to add some padding to their lead and found that insurance goal less than two minutes later when Bent-Cole knocked the ball off a defender’s foot and into the goal.
“(Bent-Cole and Sessa) are doing it from their defense, and with (Schulze, Krys and Piper Borz) they’re causing turnovers,” Fuchs said. “When those guys come up with the ball and we’re numbers up, they’re hard to stop.”
NU held strong on defense, and as the clock hit triple zeros at the end of the fourth quarter, the ’Cats’ bench stormed the field in celebration of the 3-1 win and the Big Ten title.
NU faced the Buckeyes (7-8, 3-4 Big Ten) in its final home game of the regular season Sunday. It was Senior Day for the ’Cats, and the team recognized its six graduating players before the game.
“We are such a family,” Bent-Cole said. “I feel like this was Senior Day, but also Family Day. We had so much fun in the locker room.”
NU got out to a hot start, nabbing two first-quarter goals by way of Schulze and Sessa. The latter came in unique fashion: As the goalkeeper deflected a shot from Bent-Cole, Sessa raised her stick to knock the ball in out of the air.
The ’Cats held a 2-0 lead through the first half before adding on three third-quarter goals. Bent-Cole snuck the ball below the outstretched goalkeeper, Sessa buried a shot in the top of the goal and Bent-Cole fired the ball to the left of the goalkeeper.
Heading into the fourth quarter with a 5-0 lead, NU wasn’t done yet. Zivojnovic found the back of the net off a penalty corner, and Krys made her way past defenders for an unassisted goal.
“She’s been amazing,” Fuchs said of Krys. “She’s one of those leaders where you might not notice her on the field, but she has control of the team.”
The clock wound down, and the ’Cats claimed a 7-0 victory. Schulze and Krys both took advantage of Senior Day by scoring their ninth and third goals of the season, respectively. Zivojnovic’s goal was her third in the last four games. Sessa and Bent-Cole each tallied two goals.
“We’re such a selfless team,” Bent-Cole said. “Our bench is probably one of the loudest benches I’ve ever heard in my life. Everyone just wants everyone to do well, and I feel like that’s why we’re able to perform.”
Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Juliana Boon made two saves and allowed just one goal over the two games. NU is tied for first in the country with 10 shutouts this season.
The ’Cats wrap up the regular season against Michigan State on Friday. The game is set to start at 2 p.m.
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