PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Senior Dominique Masters celebrated her birthday by scoring two goals while Isabel Flens added two goals of her own as No. 6 Northwestern remained undefeated in Big Ten play with a 5-3 win at Rutgers Friday afternoon.
The Wildcats got on the board first four minutes in as Masters scored on a reverse-stick shot to the far post for a 1-0 lead. The margin remained one through the majority of the first half until the Wildcats added an insurance goal at 26:53. A trio of Dutch players hooked up as Puck Pentenga connected with Eva van Agt who found Flens all alone on the doorstep for a tap-in.
The 'Cats would get one more tally before the intermission when they cashed in off a penalty corner. Flens found the cage for the second time in the half and the ninth time of the season at 31:59 off assists from Sophia Miller and Kirsten Mansfield.
Northwestern put the game virtually out of reach just under seven minutes in the second half. Masters converted for the second time in the game and the ninth time on the year, tying her with Flens for the team lead. Miller and Mansfield again were credited with assists.
Rutgers got a goal back a little under two minutes later when Alyssa Bull scored, but NU regained the four-goal margin at 50:24 when it scored off a corner for a third time. Reigning Big Ten and NFHCA Offensive Player of the Week Pascale Massey scored off a deflection of Masters' shot, making it 5-1.
The Scarlet Knights would get late goals from Katie Larmour and Sarah Regn to make the final score more respectable.
Northwestern (9-2, 4-0 B1G) maintained sole possession of first place in the Big Ten standings with the win and travels to Philadelphia to face Drexel in a nonconference clash at 11 a.m. Central time Sunday.
The Wildcats got on the board first four minutes in as Masters scored on a reverse-stick shot to the far post for a 1-0 lead. The margin remained one through the majority of the first half until the Wildcats added an insurance goal at 26:53. A trio of Dutch players hooked up as Puck Pentenga connected with Eva van Agt who found Flens all alone on the doorstep for a tap-in.
The 'Cats would get one more tally before the intermission when they cashed in off a penalty corner. Flens found the cage for the second time in the half and the ninth time of the season at 31:59 off assists from Sophia Miller and Kirsten Mansfield.
Northwestern put the game virtually out of reach just under seven minutes in the second half. Masters converted for the second time in the game and the ninth time on the year, tying her with Flens for the team lead. Miller and Mansfield again were credited with assists.
Rutgers got a goal back a little under two minutes later when Alyssa Bull scored, but NU regained the four-goal margin at 50:24 when it scored off a corner for a third time. Reigning Big Ten and NFHCA Offensive Player of the Week Pascale Massey scored off a deflection of Masters' shot, making it 5-1.
The Scarlet Knights would get late goals from Katie Larmour and Sarah Regn to make the final score more respectable.
Northwestern (9-2, 4-0 B1G) maintained sole possession of first place in the Big Ten standings with the win and travels to Philadelphia to face Drexel in a nonconference clash at 11 a.m. Central time Sunday.