COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Wildcats wrapped up a two-game road trip with a 1-0 loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes on Sunday afternoon in Iowa City.
After a back-and-forth first 30 minutes the home team broke the scoreless deadlock in unusual fashion after the Wildcats surrendered a corner kick. Iowa's Corey Burns curled a ball in from the corner spot that went directly into the net, untouched by anyone else on the field, for a 1-0 advantage.
Northwestern's best opportunity over the final 15 minutes of the first half came on a set piece of their own. From just outside the box senior Nandi Mehta drove an attempt towards the far post that the Hawkeyes goalkeeper dove for and tipped just wide to preserve the home team's lead.
After swapping a defender for an additional player in the midfield the start the second half, the Wildcats offense threatened several times. Sami Schrakamp and Margo McGinty tested the Iowa netminder, and sophomore Addie Steiner catalyzed a frantic sequence in the box that ended with her being shoved to the ground, but no foul whistled on the play. Ultimately Northwestern was unable to crack the packed-in defense of the Hawkeyes, falling 1-0
Head coach Michael Moynihan's Wildcats are in action twice this weekend at Lakeside Field during the program's 20th Anniversary Weekend. Northwestern will honor the 1994 Wildcats team, the inaugural women's soccer team in school history. Chicago's Big Ten Team will host Purdue on Friday at 7 p.m. and Indiana at 12 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.
Season tickets are on sale now at NUSports.com or by calling the Northwestern box office at 888-GO-PURPLE. Tickets can also be purchased on game night at the entrance to Lakeside Field.
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