Never a doubt for the ‘Cats.
For the fourth consecutive season, Northwestern has reached the national championship.
Despite the gloomy weather in Ann Arbor, the Wildcats defeated UMass 1-0 in an energetic slugfest. Ashley Sessa scored the game’s only goal off an assist from Maddie Zimmer in the fourth quarter. Annabel Skubisz recorded one save for the ‘Cats, while UMass goalie Myrte Van Herwijnen notched six.
The ‘Cats got a scoring opportunity early, but Olivia Bent-Cole couldn’t find the net with 13:45 to go in the first quarter. NU controlled possession for most of the first 10 minutes of action, but neither team got another shot off.
With under three minutes left in the quarter, UMass midfielder Izzy Acquaviva got a free look at the net, but her ball flew right of a diving Skubisz. The rest of the opening quarter flew by without much fanfare.
NU unleashed a barrage of shots on Van Herwijnen two minutes into the second quarter. After some hounding defense by Sessa, she flicked a shot from the left baseline, but it was blocked. After two more shots from Elaine Velthuizen and Zimmer, the Minutewomen cleared the ball out of the circle.
With 9:40 left, the ‘Cats drew their first penalty corner. Ilse Tromp unleashed her signature drag flick, but NU got another chance in their second corner. The sophomore couldn’t convert that opportunity, either, as Van Herwijnen notched her fourth save of the day. The Minutewomen got their first scoring opportunity of the game with 5:33 to go, but Kristy Leonard flicked it way high of Skubisz’s reach.
Sessa pushed up the right baseline with just 20 seconds until halftime and drew another corner for NU. The sophomore forward inserted to Wadas, who couldn’t net her drag flick. Bent-Cole got a look off the deflection, but she failed to convert as time expired on the half. At halftime, the game was scoreless, despite NU’s 8-1 advantage in shots. The ‘Cats drew three corners, compared to the Minutewomen’s zero.
The Minutewomen drew their first penalty corner of the game with 7:47 remaining in the third quarter. Hannah De Gast inserted to Elena Cloconeanu, who got a great look, but her shot was saved when Skubisz dropped into a split.
With 5:39 to go, UMass got an 11-on-10 advantage when Bent-Cole was shown a green card. However, the Minutewomen couldn’t capitalize before the forward reentered for the ‘Cats. Bent-Cole pushed the ball up for NU, setting up Sessa for a look that sailed wide of Van Herwijen’s domain.
The fourth quarter got off to a sluggish start until ‘Cats midfielder Greta Hinke fired a wild shot with 12 minutes remaining that sailed out of harm’s way. With just over 10 minutes left, Zimmer flaunted her elite speed on a fastbreak and set up Sessa for NU’s first goal of the game. After a protracted umpire review, the goal stood and UMass lost its video referral. All the ‘Cats had to do was maintain possession, which they did in the game’s final minutes to reach their fourth consecutive national championship.
Northwestern will face No. 4 St. Joseph’s in the NCAA national championship on Sunday afternoon at 12:30 p.m. CT.