Oct. 22, 2009
EVANSTON, Ill. — After a hard-fought defeat vs. Indiana in its last outing, No. 19 Northwestern vies for its 13th win of the season at 3 p.m. Friday when it hosts Iowa at Lakeside Field. The outcome of Friday's matchup will go a long way toward deciding each team's seeding in the quickly approaching Big Ten Tournament.
The 'Cats enter play on Friday with a 12-5 overall record and a 1-3 mark in the Big Ten while the Hawkeyes are 5-8 in 2009 and own a 2-3 conference record entering their final league game of the regular season.
ON THE WEB
Fans unable to make it out to Lakeside Field to cheer on the Wildcats can watch streaming video of the game as it happens on NUsports.com. Live updates are also available via Gametracker or by following the username @NU_sportsLIVE on Twitter.
PLASTER-STRANGE SELECTED TO NATIONAL SENIOR GAME
Courtney Plaster-Strange, who has been a catalyst for Northwestern's offense all season in posting a career-best 10 goals, was recognized on Wednesday for her stellar season by earning a spot in the 2009 NFHCA Division I Senior All-Star Game. This year's event is comprised of 38 seniors from around the country and will take place on Saturday, Nov. 21, on the campus of Wake Forest University. After entering this season with six career goals, Plaster-Strange currently ranks fifth in the league in goals (10), seventh in points (24) and fourth in shots (67).
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
Head coach Tracey Fuchs has continued to find new contributors to the offensive attack this season, which has produced a league-best 64 goals (3.64 per game). Twelve different Wildcats have scored goals this season while a 13th—senior Stacy Uchida—has yet to score a goal but ranks second on the squad with eight assists. Northwestern's front line of Plaster-Strange, Chelsea Armstrong and Elizabeth Dobbs has accounted for 40 goals—more than three Big Ten teams have scored all season—and 101 points.
SCOUTING THE HAWKEYES
Iowa comes into the game looking to win its second consecutive Big Ten game having knocked off Penn State, 1-0, on Oct. 18. Before that game, however, Iowa was held scoreless in back-to-back losses to then-No. 20 Ohio State and No. 8 Michigan State. The Hawkeyes have been led on offense by Tricia Dean—who has accumulated 18 points on six goals and six assists—while Sarah Drake has also found the back of the cage on six occasions.
Northwestern is in search of its first win over the Hawkeyes since a 1-0 double-overtime victory in Evanston in 2004.
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