Sept. 9, 2002
EVANSTON, Ill. - Playing the final game of a four-game homestand, NU's field hockey team dominated from the opening whistle in defeating Southwest Missouri State 3-0 Monday afternoon. On a hot and humid day next to Lake Michigan, the Wildcat offense needed just 2:43 to get on the board and never looked back in evening its record at 2-2.
Senior Lindsey Millard (St. Louis, Mo./St. Louis Country Day) was the player of the game for the Wildcats, scoring two goals and tallying one defensive save.
"Lindsey does a lot of different things for us as a team," said head coach Marisa Didio. "Defensively, she has been rock solid for us in the backfield, her composure and ability to be the field general is a tremendous help to us."
NU came right out of the chute, as Millard took a pass from senior Michelle Cifelli (Fairfield, N.J./West Essex) and fired it past the Bear goalkeeper for the first score of the game. That's when the 'Cats turned on the defensive pressure, as SMS had just two shots in the first half, neither one on goal.
Just over 10 minutes into the second stanza, Millard connected again, this time redirecting a Diane Provencher (North Conway, N.H./Kennett) shot on a short corner for her team-leading third goal of the season. Less than two minutes later, sophomore Candice Cooper scored her second goal of the year, collecting a loose ball in front of the SMS goal and rocketing a shot past the keeper.
"As a team, we accomplished our goals for this match," said Didio. "We took what we learned from our last match and capitalized on our opportunities. The team did a great job of focusing from the opening whistle."
Freshman goalkeeper Kelly Augustine (Northampton, Pa./Northampton) recorded her first collegiate shutout, tallying two saves in the effort. Augustine has played every minute of the 2002 season in goal.
NU is back in action this weekend when they travel to Ann Arbor, Mich., to compete in the Big Ten/BIG EAST Challenge. The Wildcats take on Providence College Saturday at 9:30 a.m., and Boston College at the same time on Sunday.