Box Score
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern dominated the run of play, including a season-high 20 shots, but fell 2-0 to No. 12 Wisconsin on Sunday afternoon at Lakeside Field.
The Wildcats defeated No. 19 Illiois in their last outing, and were in search of a second-straight victory over a ranked opponent when they welcomed the No. 12 Badgers to Lakeside Field on Sunday. The Badgers came into the matinee ranked second in the Big Ten in both goals and goals allowed, outscoring their opponents by a combined 28-6 margin the season.
From the opening whistle, it was clear that Northwestern intended to take the game to the visitors. Forward Addie Steiner was active from the start of the contest, putting Wisconsin's defenders on their heels with her speed, which generated a pair of scoring chances early in the match.
Wisconsin's first dangerous opportunity was a corner kick in the 18th minute. Leading scorer Kinley McNicoll sent a low cross into the box that bounced off the leg of teammate Cara Walls and into the net. Though much of the remaining 27 minutes of the half was played in midfield, Northwestern went into the halftime break with a 7-5 shot advantage but a 1-0 deficit on the scoreboard.
The second half opened similarly to the first, as head coach Michael Moynihan's Wildcats earned the majority of possession and turned it into numerous opportunities. Niki Sebo let fly a rising shot from 20-yards that the Badgers goalkeeper needed full extension to tip over the crossbar in the 51st minute. Three minutes later Steiner led Sebo with a pass down the wing and the junior midfielder was again denied.
Just two minutes later, in the 56th, a bouncing ball was sent into the box towards Maria Fayeulle. The freshman adjusted to strike the ball with her first touch as it bounded near waist-high, and rocketed a shot off the crossbar that rattled the goal frame.
In the 68th minute, a Wildcats foul gave Wisconsin a free kick nearly 35-yards from goal. McNicoll curled a ball into the box that ricoched off the head of a Northwestern defender and skipped into the net for a goal against the run of play, giving the Badgers a 2-0 advantage that they would not surrender.
Now 5-7-2 on the season, Northwestern heads east for their final road trip of the 2014 regular-season. The Wildcats will visit the Maryland Terrapins in College Park on Friday, Oct. 17, at 6 p.m., and then take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at 12 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 19 in Piscataway.
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