Oct. 31, 2010
Site: Evanston, Ill. (Lakeside Field)
Score: No. 11 Michigan State 3, Northwestern 2
Records: NU (11-8, 3-3 Big Ten), Michigan State (14-4, 3-3 Big Ten)
Next NU Event: Thu., Nov. 4 vs. Michigan State (Big Ten Tournament)
Evanston, Ill. 10 a.m. CT
EVANSTON, Ill. -- For the majority of its Senior Day matchup with No. 11 Michigan State Sunday, Northwestern was the aggressor and the more dangerous team in the circle, as evidenced by its 17-10 edge in shots on goal. But 12 saves by Spartan goalie Molly Cassidy and a timely go-ahead goal with six minutes left by Jantine Steinmetz spelled a 3-2 win for Michigan State in NU's regular-season finale.
After two down-to-the wire one-goal losses to Michigan State in the last two weeks, Northwestern (11-8, 3-3 Big Ten) will get a third crack at knocking off the Spartans when the two square off in the first round of the 2010 Big Ten Tournament hosted by NU. The fifth-seeded 'Cats and fourth-seeded Spartans kick off the Tournament at 10 a.m. Thursday in Evanston.
"I can't be disappointed with the way we fought and battled, we ran into a hot goalkeeper and Michigan State was a little more opportunistic than we were on the offensive end," said NU head coach Tracey Fuchs. "Our seniors, especially on defense, played at the same high level they've been performing at all year and I thought Nikki (Parsley) and Regan (Mooney) brought great energy up top. We can't wait to get the Big Ten Tournament started on our home field."
Six minutes into the game, the 'Cats couldn't have been faulted for feeling a bit of déjà vu when MSU's Sabine van den Assem scored off the same penalty corner play Penn State used to score four times against NU Friday. That Spartan goal stood up through the rest of the first half as Michigan State led 1-0 at the intermission.
But Northwestern came out attacking in the second half, with Chelsea Armstrong leveling the score at one when she backhanded a loose ball past Cassidy in front of the cage 59 seconds into the half. Armstrong officially finished the regular season as the Big Ten leader in goals (24) and points (60), both of which are second all-time at NU for single-season efforts.
The Australia native led all players with eight shots on Sunday.
NU continued to keep the ball in its offensive zone and broke through for the second time in the 47th minute. Mooney created space off the dribble and, when she had the ball knocked away by a defender, took it right back off a feed from Kaylee Pohlmeyer and put it past Cassidy for her seventh goal of the year.
After not seeing much action in the first half, Amanda Wirth was tested in the second and was up to the challenge. She made back-to-back saves on shots by Steinmetz, including a well-timed kick save after Steinmetz had a clear look at the cage. Wirth would finish the game with four saves.
Michigan State was able to tie the score at two in the 60th minute. MSU earned a penalty corner and saw a loose ball make its way across the circle to where Joelle van Ierland was waiting to slam it home.
MSU completed its comeback four minutes later when Steinmetz won a 50/50 ball at midfield and sprinted toward the circle with no defenders in front of her. She settled the ball on the left half of the arc and let fly a backhand shot that went up and over the shoulder of Wirth into the back netting. It was Steinmetz' 10th goal of 2010.
NU nearly found the equalizer down the stretch off a penalty corner shot by Armstrong, but the attempt was deemed too high by the officials and was called back.
For information and a complete schedule of games at the Big Ten Tournament hosted by Northwestern, visit the official tournament website by clicking here.
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