Women’s Soccer: Northwestern falls short in conference action as winless streak extends

The ‘Cats have faced immense difficulty in Big Ten action.

For the second straight season, Northwestern women’s soccer has struggled in Big Ten play. After a promising 5-2 start in non-conference action, the Wildcats have slipped below .500 heading into October, as they have failed to register a win since their 1-0 victory over Virginia Tech on September 8th. Recent matches against Maryland and No. 18 Iowa have only added to the frustration, leaving head coach Michael Moynihan’s squad at risk of missing the NCAA tournament for the second consecutive year unless they can turn things around in Big Ten play.

September 26th vs. Maryland

From the onset of the match, Northwestern dominated in shots on goal, with Moynihan’s team registering an impressive eight attempts compared to none for Maryland in the first half. However, the Wildcats couldn’t capitalize, as they were consistently shut down by Terrapins goalkeeper Liz Beardsley, who was sensational from the start and kept her team in the game throughout the match.

The Wildcats maintained their offensive pressure into the second half, amassing a staggering 13-0 advantage in shots on goal by the 65th minute. Yet, despite their efforts, they were unable to break through. The visitors did have a few opportunities, but Reiley Fitzpatrick continued a run of stellar play between the posts and prevented any scoring on Maryland’s side.

Emma Phillips and Kate Hennen had chances to win the match late, but Beardsley’s outstanding play ultimately held Northwestern to a 0-0 draw in a frustrating stalemate between the two Big Ten foes. The match marked the third time this season the Wildcats have tallied at least 15 shots but failed to score a goal. For Caterina Regazzoni and Josie Aulicino, the day was especially frustrating as they both tallied a pair of shots on frame.

September 29th vs. #18 Iowa

Unlike their match against the Terrapins, Northwestern struggled to register shots on goal during the first half against Iowa, managing only two attempts compared to just one on target for the Hawkeyes, extending the Wildcats’ scoreless streak to three consecutive halves. Northwestern did put up three corner kicks in the opening frame, including two in the final two minutes, but none of the attacks resulted in success.

However, the Wildcats were finally able to end their goalless streak in the 59th minute when Aulicino fired a penalty kick past Hawkeyes goalkeeper Macy Enneking to give Northwestern a 1-0 lead. Enneking guesses correctly here, but Aulicino had too much power and too much spin on the ball for the Iowa netminder to stop it.

Unfortunately, the Wildcats couldn’t maintain the lead for long, as Iowa’s Elle Otto equalized in the 67th minute, slipping a well-placed shot past Fitzpatrick to tie the game at 1-1. This attack was a gorgeous individual effort by Otto, and there was nothing anyone on Northwestern’s side could do to stop it.

While the contest stayed neck and neck through the latter part of the match, the Hawkeyes were finally able to break the tie when Lauren Geczik scored a tremendous goal off a corner kick to give Iowa a 2-1 lead, which ultimately stood as the final score, dropping Northwestern to a disappointing 0-4-1 in conference play for the 2024 campaign. Much like in the recent loss to Ohio State, the Wildcats took a second-half lead over a ranked foe before two late scores from the opposition sealed their fate.

What’s Next

Northwestern will aim to secure its first conference victory of the season on Friday night when Moynihan’s squad faces a tough challenge at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium. They’ll take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers, who enters the contest with an impressive 8-2-2 record. After that, it’s an even tougher foe coming to Evanston when a UCLA squad that hasn’t lost since September 8 will try to conquer Martin Stadium. The Wildcats will take them on two Thursdays from now, on October 10.