Sept. 30, 2009
EVANSTON, Ill. -- With a 9-3 record and a No. 17 ranking in this week's Kookaburra/NFHCA Coaches poll, Northwestern stands poised to vie for a Big Ten championship and make a run in postseason play. The Wildcats' next challenge comes in the form of Big Ten foe Michigan Friday at 3 p.m. before NU hosts Saint Louis Sunday at 1 p.m. On Tuesday, NU steps out of conference for the final time when it welcomes California to Lakeside Field for a 2 p.m. tilt.
Friday's game against Michigan is this season's Chipotle Big Game, at which one lucky NU student will walk away with a quarter's supply of free burritos from Chipotle.
All three of NU's games are available to watch online in the All-Access video player on NUsports.com. Fans can also receive in-game updates via Gametracker and by following the @NU_sportsLIVE username on Twitter.
FAMILIAR FACES
Friday's matchup with the Wolverines marks the first time that NU head coach Tracey Fuchs will be facing the school that was her home for the past 12 seasons. Fuchs played an integral role in Michigan's rise to a program of national prominence, guiding the Wolverines to three Big Ten championships, six NCAA Tournament appearances and the 2001 NCAA title. Northwestern's ties to Michigan run even deeper considering associate head coach Carla Tagliente served as an assistant in Ann Arbor from 2006-08 while NU assistant coach April Fronzoni was an All-American for the Wolverines and a member of the 2001 championship squad.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
Chelsea Armstrong's three-goal outburst against Maine on Saturday went a long way in keeping her atop the nation's list of most prolific scorers. Armstrong's 19 goals are five more than the second-highest totals among all NCAA players while her 45 points are far and away the best in the Big Ten Conference. Many of Armstrong's scoring opportunities have come off penalty corners, and the 'Cats continue to generate the second-most corners per game (8.83) in the Big Ten.
Armstrong also ranks second in assists this season with seven while NU's Sarah Marcincin sits in fifth place with six helpers.
SCOUTING THE WOLVERINES
Michigan, receiving 53 votes in the current coaches poll, is off to a 3-7 start to the 2009 season after playing five games against teams ranked in the top seven nationally, including one-goal losses to No. 4 North Carolina, No. 2 Wake Forest and No. 7 Syracuse. The Wolverines are 1-1 in the Big Ten, picking up a win over Penn State after falling to Iowa in the conference opener.
Michigan head coach Marcia Pankratz is in the first year of her second stint at the helm in Ann Arbor after serving as head coach from 1996-2004. Pankratz and NU's Tracey Fuchs arrived at Michigan together in 1996 and together compiled a 130-49 record over nine seasons.
SCOUTING THE BILLIKENS
Saint Louis is 1-7 this season and has struggled on the defensive end, allowing seven or more goals in five of its eight contests. The Billikens are coming off a 4-3 overtime defeat to Bellarmine but have a chance to get back in the win column before coming to Evanston when they take on Missouri State Thursday at 1 p.m. Northwestern owns a commanding 9-1-1 advantage in the all-time series against Saint Louis.
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN BEARS
California arrives in the Midwest on a three-game swing against Big Ten opponents Indiana, Iowa and Northwestern. After enduring a five-game losing streak, the Golden Bears picked up a huge win in its last outing when it downed No. 14 Stanford, 4-3. Cal is led on offense by junior Natalie Nurnberg, who paces the team with 11 points (4g, 3a). NU is 5-4-1 all-time against the Golden Bears but dropped a 5-1 decision last year in a neutral site game in Ann Arbor.