The third game of the season is hardly an indicator of where the season will go.
For the purpose of the narrative, Northwestern did lose to Boston College in a national championship rematch. But beyond the narrative, there is the simple yet hard truth that this is just a different Northwestern team than last season’s.
Izzy Scane and Erin Coykendall are gone. That doesn’t mean the ‘Cats are doomed. That doesn’t mean Boston College is guaranteed to be the last team standing at the end of the season. That doesn’t mean Northwestern’s championship hopes are gone.
The 13-9 defeat means that the third game of the season is still early for a team learning to play together. And even though six transfers and one first-year started, this team still has maintained the character of one that fights back. Eventually, the players will grow accustomed to each other, and that assures that the will of this team to hang on in tough moments will only grow stronger.
“When you have a lot of new players early on in the season, it’s a learning process,” head coach Kelly Amonte Hiller said. “I still think that we have not figured out how we work best, and that’s a learning process.”
The Wildcats started the game with no answer for the Eagles. At the end of the first quarter, Boston College was already up 3-0, and not only was Northwestern scoreless, but it had six turnovers all by the fault of itself.
Maddy Taylor finally broke through for Northwestern four minutes into the second frame, but not before BC had scored three straight to lead 6-0. But to NU’s credit, this quarter was an improvement. Although Northwestern was still down 8-4 at the half, it scored four in comparison to BC’s five in the second frame.
“We want to have that ‘never give up’ mentality and just fight hard and play in the moment,” Hiller said. “I think at times, we did that. At other times, we didn’t do that. We’ll build on those things and hopefully get better with each game out.”
Although the second-half charge was marked by missed shots and turnovers, it was an attempt. The ‘Cats came up short, but bringing the game within two and holding the Eagles scoreless for over 20 minutes is notable and demonstrates fight.
The Eagles took a 10-4 lead in the beginning of the third quarter, but the next three goals were Northwestern’s, with its last scored by Emerson Bohlig with just six seconds left.
This tough loss is a prime example in explaining how this team is still finding its footing. In previous seasons, if it wasn’t always Scane who had that last shot, but rather it could have been Coykendall or Hailey Rhatigan or Dylan Amonte. Northwestern is still looking for its offensive strength behind Taylor, and Bohlig is one of those people who is expected to step up, but there is a difference between what one is accustomed to doing and what one will grow to do.
“[Bohlig] gave us some really big sparks, especially toward the end there,” said Taylor about Bohlig’s offensive potential. “I really enjoy playing with her, and I’m excited to keep on playing with her.”
Bohlig scored early in the fourth to make it a two-goal game after four missed BC shots, which should have translated momentum into Northwestern’s direction. But instead, over six minutes passed that saw Northwestern lose possession on a missed shot, a shot clock violation and a turnover. BC didn’t perform much better, but the Eagles finally broke through with four minutes left to extend their lead back to three and lock away the win.
It was a game of catch-up, and the ‘Cats were catching up, but with inefficiency, losing possession and missing shots. But the opportunities were there. Frustration from this game comes with what could have been. For the third game of the season against the No. 1 team in the nation, that type of frustration is comforting. It speaks to the team’s potential.
“I think we just have to be confident in ourselves,” Taylor said. “We just need to move the ball. I feel like it just got stuck in a lot of our hands, and we weren’t moving it. We weren’t playing together. I think that’s an easy fix. Just stay confident, have belief in each other and just play freely.”
Boston College is by all means a great team — probably, the best team at the moment. Perhaps, the gap between No. 1 and No. 2 seemed painfully clear on Saturday. The Eagle defense, after all, dominantly restricted a Wildcat offense that there are still a lot of questions surrounding. But, what is now is not necessarily what will be.
There were some silver linings amidst the defeat, too. The Northwestern defense ceased all Boston College scoring to allow the offense to cut into the lead with four goals of its own. The ‘Cats did win the draw control battle, 15-10. Bohlig notched a hat trick alongside Taylor, hinting at the offensive output she can contribute. Riley Campbell, Taylor Lapointe and Abby LoCascio also all scored.
This team is still figuring itself out. So while talk of a championship rematch may dominate the outcome of this game, this Northwestern team is quite simply not that team. The roster is vastly different, there are new names in play and a new dynamic to create. Snapping a 47-home game winning streak, failing to complete a comeback and losing to the team that just won the national title may sting, but clawing back from 6-0 to lose by just three goals is not the worst outcome in the world.
February is a long time from May.
“We really are just lucky to have [Boston College] travel out here and play us,” Hiller said. “Every time you step on the field, whether it be practice or a game, it’s an opportunity to get better.”