Sept. 4, 2010
Box Score
Site: Williamsburg, Va. (Busch Field)
Score: Northwestern 4, William & Mary 1
Records: NU (3-2, 0-0 Big Ten), William & Mary (1-2, 0-0 CAA)
Next NU Event: Monday, Sept. 6 at No. 3 Virginia -- 2 p.m. CT
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. -- Following a loss to VCU on Friday, Northwestern head coach Tracey Fuchs remarked that her team needed to be more effective in creating scoring opportunities. The 'Cats took her advice to heart, defeating William & Mary 4-1 Saturday as Chelsea Armstrong scored twice in the game's first 15 minutes and later assisted on NU's fourth goal.
The win marked the third time in five games that Northwestern has scored four goals in a match. Armstrong's scoring outburst increased her Big Ten-leading season points total to 15, while her 28 career goals leave her just four shy from cracking the top 10 on NU's all-time goals list.
"We were definitely more aggressive as a team and more in tune with our offensive game plan today than we were yesterday," Fuchs said. "Our backs and midfielders were getting involved and supporting the attack which really helps us. We are continuing to improve and we are all looking forward to testing ourselves at Virginia Monday."
In an impressive first half of action, Northwestern converted three of its seven shots on goal into scores as it seized a 3-0 halftime lead. Armstrong got things rolling in the sixth minute when she took a pass from junior Kaylee Pohlmeyer and blasted her shot home from just inside the top of the circle.
Armstrong's next goal came in the 15th minute from the right side of the arc as she utilized a deflection off a defender to sneak her shot past Tribe goalkeeper Camilla Hill.
Junior forward Regan Mooney found the back of the cage for the second day in a row in the 19th minute, keeping with the play after her first two attempts on goal were saved by Hill before finally slotting her third successive shot into the cage.
Northwestern had a chance to add a fourth goal in the first half when the Wildcats were awarded a penalty stroke, but Armstrong's attempt flew just wide of the post as NU's lead remained 3-0.
Armstrong helped the Wildcats extend their lead to 4-0 early in the second half when she ripped a penalty corner shot toward the cage. Freshman forward Nikki Parsley deflected the shot up into net for her first career score, icing the game for the Wildcats.
Another senior, Megan Jamieson, nearly netted a fifth goal for NU as she took two shots that forced back-to-back saves by Hill in the 50th minute.
Picking up the victory in the cage for Northwestern was sophomore Amanda Wirth, who made four saves in the win. Wirth surrendered just one goal with 10 minutes left to play as her season goals against average fell to 2.67.
After an off-day on Sunday, the road-tested Wildcats wrap up their stay on the East coast when they face third-ranked Virginia in Charlottesville. Start time is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT.
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