Sept. 25, 2009
Box Score
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Northwestern, ranked No. 18 in the Kookaburra/NFHCA Coaches poll, opened the Big Ten season Friday at eighth-ranked Michigan State, losing 5-2 despite playing the Spartans to a 0-0 draw in the first half. Sophomore Chelsea Armstrong scored her NCAA-leading 16th goal of the season and classmate Kaylee Pohlmeyer tallied her sixth of the year in the defeat.
Armstrong has now scored in four consecutive games and has found the back of the cage in all but one of Northwestern's 11 games in this her debut season with the 'Cats. Her 16 goals move her into a four-way tie for eighth on NU's all-time list for goals in a single season while her 39 points are good for sole possession of 10th place on the school's all-time list.
NU freshman goalkeeper Amanda Wirth stopped a career-best 15 shots against the Spartans, including nine in the second half.
Northwestern (8-3, 0-1) managed to earn the best scoring opportunity of a tightly contested opening half when it earned a penalty stroke with about 15 minutes remaining before the break. Pohlmeyer, who was a perfect 2-for-2 on penalty strokes coming into the game, stepped to the spot to try to put NU ahead but had her attempt denied by Spartan goalkeeper Elissa Unger.
The home team got on the board first out of the break with a goal by Jantine Steinmetz before MSU's Floor Rijpma scored two of her three goals on the afternoon to give Michigan State (6-3, 1-0) a 3-0 advantage.
Pohlmeyer bounced back from her missed penalty stroke in the first half by pulling NU to within 3-1 when she put away a rebound with 17 minutes to play. After the Spartans regained a three-goal lead, Armstrong scored when a rebound caromed off Unger and landed on Armstrong's stick.
Senior Elizabeth Dobbs led Northwestern with five shots and was active up top all afternoon but was unable to break through on the scoreboard.
The Wildcats have a second chance to pick up their ninth win of the season on Saturday when they face Maine at 1 p.m. CT.