EVANSTON, Ill. -- In a season seemingly full of heart-breaking defeats, 16th-ranked Northwestern suffered another tough result on Friday afternoon, falling to No. 14 Michigan 4-3 in double overtime at Lakeside Field.
Something had to give in the contest as the matchup featured the top scoring team in the Big Ten (Northwestern, 3.50 goals per game) against the fourth-stingiest defense in the nation (Michigan, 0.86 goals-against average).
The Wildcats (9-6, 2-3 Big Ten) jumped on the Wolverines right out of the gates, earning a penalty corner in the opening minute of the contest. NU cashed in just 62 seconds in to the match as Caroline Troncelliti knocked one past Sam Swenson to give the 'Cats a 1-0 lead. Dominique Masters was credited with an assist on the play.
The advantage stood up until the midway point of the half when Michigan evened things up with a penalty-corner goal of their own as Katie Trombetta scored off assists from Mackenzie Ellis and Veerle Lubbers. The Wolverines then came right back and stunned the Wildcats by scoring only 30 seconds later when Lubbers scored her first of the season and suddenly the visitors were ahead 2-1.
Michigan would carry the one-goal lead into halftime as it out-shot Northwestern 6-4 over the opening 35 minutes of play.
The Wildcats' offense got things going in the second half, though. Just under eight minutes into the stanza, Troncelliti used her speed to make a long run into the circle, finishing with a reverse-stick shot that beat Swenson for her second goal of the game and 10th of the season to tie the score, 2-2. Only a minute later, Northwestern earned a penalty corner and Puck Pentenga found fellow freshman Eva van Agt who deflected one home and suddently the Wildcats had the lead back at the 44:11 mark.
NU was rolling and appeared to add an insurance goal off a penalty corner a few minutes later. Masters' shot appeared to deflect in off a Michigan defender's stick and in. The play was originally ruled a goal but was later taken off the board.
The decision came back to haunt Northwestern. The 'Cats still had a lead with under six minutes remaining when they called timeout. However, a sloppy re-start resulted in a turnover and Michigan scored just 14 seconds following the timeout as Shannon Scavelli tallied her ninth of the year to even the score.
NU had a great chance to win it in the closing seconds of regulation, but Pentenga's shot from point-blank range was saved by Swenson and Pentenga's rebound shot went just wide at the buzzer, sending the match to overtime.
The 'Cats earned two penalty corners in the first two minutes of the first extra session, but Swenson denied shots by Masters each time on her way to recording a whopping 14 saves in the match. Northwestern stopped a Michigan penalty corner a couple minutes later before the Wildcats had another chance to win it on a penalty corner with no time on the clock at the end of the 15-minute session. However, Swenson stopped Isabel Flens, sending the game to a second overtime.
In the second OT, Swenson made three more saves before Lauren Thomas put home the game-winner off a corner at the 94:26 mark, handing NU its second straight overtime home loss to a ranked opponent.
Northwestern finished the match with a 20-12 advantage in shots, including a 17-6 edge in shots on goal, as well as notching nine penalty corners to five for Michigan. The loss was the fourth for NU this season by a one-goal margin to a ranked foe.
The Wildcats return to action at noon Sunday when they host Michigan State at Lakeside Field. The 1994 Northwestern NCAA semifinalist and Big Ten champion team will be honored at halftime.
Something had to give in the contest as the matchup featured the top scoring team in the Big Ten (Northwestern, 3.50 goals per game) against the fourth-stingiest defense in the nation (Michigan, 0.86 goals-against average).
The Wildcats (9-6, 2-3 Big Ten) jumped on the Wolverines right out of the gates, earning a penalty corner in the opening minute of the contest. NU cashed in just 62 seconds in to the match as Caroline Troncelliti knocked one past Sam Swenson to give the 'Cats a 1-0 lead. Dominique Masters was credited with an assist on the play.
The advantage stood up until the midway point of the half when Michigan evened things up with a penalty-corner goal of their own as Katie Trombetta scored off assists from Mackenzie Ellis and Veerle Lubbers. The Wolverines then came right back and stunned the Wildcats by scoring only 30 seconds later when Lubbers scored her first of the season and suddenly the visitors were ahead 2-1.
Michigan would carry the one-goal lead into halftime as it out-shot Northwestern 6-4 over the opening 35 minutes of play.
The Wildcats' offense got things going in the second half, though. Just under eight minutes into the stanza, Troncelliti used her speed to make a long run into the circle, finishing with a reverse-stick shot that beat Swenson for her second goal of the game and 10th of the season to tie the score, 2-2. Only a minute later, Northwestern earned a penalty corner and Puck Pentenga found fellow freshman Eva van Agt who deflected one home and suddently the Wildcats had the lead back at the 44:11 mark.
NU was rolling and appeared to add an insurance goal off a penalty corner a few minutes later. Masters' shot appeared to deflect in off a Michigan defender's stick and in. The play was originally ruled a goal but was later taken off the board.
The decision came back to haunt Northwestern. The 'Cats still had a lead with under six minutes remaining when they called timeout. However, a sloppy re-start resulted in a turnover and Michigan scored just 14 seconds following the timeout as Shannon Scavelli tallied her ninth of the year to even the score.
NU had a great chance to win it in the closing seconds of regulation, but Pentenga's shot from point-blank range was saved by Swenson and Pentenga's rebound shot went just wide at the buzzer, sending the match to overtime.
The 'Cats earned two penalty corners in the first two minutes of the first extra session, but Swenson denied shots by Masters each time on her way to recording a whopping 14 saves in the match. Northwestern stopped a Michigan penalty corner a couple minutes later before the Wildcats had another chance to win it on a penalty corner with no time on the clock at the end of the 15-minute session. However, Swenson stopped Isabel Flens, sending the game to a second overtime.
In the second OT, Swenson made three more saves before Lauren Thomas put home the game-winner off a corner at the 94:26 mark, handing NU its second straight overtime home loss to a ranked opponent.
Northwestern finished the match with a 20-12 advantage in shots, including a 17-6 edge in shots on goal, as well as notching nine penalty corners to five for Michigan. The loss was the fourth for NU this season by a one-goal margin to a ranked foe.
The Wildcats return to action at noon Sunday when they host Michigan State at Lakeside Field. The 1994 Northwestern NCAA semifinalist and Big Ten champion team will be honored at halftime.