ANN ARBOR, Mich. – No. 10 Northwestern came up just short against No. 6 Michigan in a 3-2 defeat on the road on Friday afternoon.
The Wildcats moved to 7-5 on the season and 2-1 in conference while Michigan improved to 7-4 and 3-1 in the Big Ten.
Senior Puck Pentenga scored her team-high seventh goal of the season while junior Saar de Breij scored her third. Senior Eva van Agt recorded an assist on the Pentenga goal.
Junior Annie Kalfas started in net and made three saves, including a crucial penalty stroke save in the second half to preserve a one-goal scoreline.
Despite taking the first six shots of the game, Northwestern conceded the first goal against the run of play. Kayla Reed dribbled in from the right corner and passed to Meg Dowthwaite who gave Michigan a 1-0 lead from close range in the 23re minute.
Northwestern responded with less than three minutes in the half on a crafty penalty corner routine. The initial service went to senior Charlotte Vaziri, but she faked it and van Agt passed to Pentenga, who blasted a shot into the net from an unusual angle to tie it at 1-1.
Michigan retook the lead immediately with 59 seconds left in the first half. The Wolverines came out of the break and jumped out to a 3-1 lead after Emma Way's shot in the 40th minute went in via a deflection.
In the 49th minute, Northwestern pulled one back on a spectacular individual effort from de Breij. The junior stole it halfway into Michigan territory and dusted two defenders before rounding the Michigan keeper and chipping it into the net to make it 3-2.
The Wolverines had a penalty stroke awarded three minutes later, but Kalfas was up to the task and made an excellent save. The Wildcats pulled their keeper with less than four minutes left, but the 'Cats could not find a late equalizer.
Chicago's Big Ten Team continues its road trip on Sunday when it takes on Michigan State at 11 a.m.
The Wildcats moved to 7-5 on the season and 2-1 in conference while Michigan improved to 7-4 and 3-1 in the Big Ten.
Senior Puck Pentenga scored her team-high seventh goal of the season while junior Saar de Breij scored her third. Senior Eva van Agt recorded an assist on the Pentenga goal.
Junior Annie Kalfas started in net and made three saves, including a crucial penalty stroke save in the second half to preserve a one-goal scoreline.
Despite taking the first six shots of the game, Northwestern conceded the first goal against the run of play. Kayla Reed dribbled in from the right corner and passed to Meg Dowthwaite who gave Michigan a 1-0 lead from close range in the 23re minute.
Northwestern responded with less than three minutes in the half on a crafty penalty corner routine. The initial service went to senior Charlotte Vaziri, but she faked it and van Agt passed to Pentenga, who blasted a shot into the net from an unusual angle to tie it at 1-1.
Michigan retook the lead immediately with 59 seconds left in the first half. The Wolverines came out of the break and jumped out to a 3-1 lead after Emma Way's shot in the 40th minute went in via a deflection.
In the 49th minute, Northwestern pulled one back on a spectacular individual effort from de Breij. The junior stole it halfway into Michigan territory and dusted two defenders before rounding the Michigan keeper and chipping it into the net to make it 3-2.
The Wolverines had a penalty stroke awarded three minutes later, but Kalfas was up to the task and made an excellent save. The Wildcats pulled their keeper with less than four minutes left, but the 'Cats could not find a late equalizer.
Chicago's Big Ten Team continues its road trip on Sunday when it takes on Michigan State at 11 a.m.