EVANSTON, Ill. – No. 15 Northwestern threw everything it had at No. 14 Rutgers, but came up short in a 2-1 defeat at Lakeside Field on Friday afternoon.
Senior Eva van Agt scored the lone goal of the game for the Wildcats on a solo effort, notching her fourth goal of the season.
The Wildcats used two keepers in the match, with sophomore Florien Marcussen starting and playing the first half and junior Annie Kalfas playing the first 31 minutes of the second half.
Northwestern doubled the Scarlet Knights in shots (8 to 4) and penalty corners (6 to 3), but it was not enough as they tried to chase the game following a two-goal outburst in the opening stages from the visitors.
Rutgers started the scoring in the eighth minute on a penalty corner that turned into a scrum right in front of goal. Linde van Schaik managed to dig the ball out and poke it into the back corner to make 1-0.
The Scarlet Knights compounded their advantage in the 20th minute. Van Schaik pounced on a loose ball and poked it to Daphne Groothuis, who found herself wide open in front of goal. Her shot gave Rutgers a 2-0 lead.
Northwestern responded shortly after in the 23rd minute. Eva van Agt picked up a deflection coming out of the penalty circle, dribbled past two players back into the circle, and then uncorked an unstoppable shot past the Rutgers goalkeeper to make it 2-1.
The 'Cats sent wave after wave of attacks towards the Rutgers' goal in the second half but never could find an equalizer. Their best chances were a penalty corner goal by first year Maren Seidel that was disallowed and a snapshot from Mackenzie Keegan that just fizzled wide.
Chicago's Big Ten Team is back in action on Sunday with another opportunity to claim a ranked win against No. 6 Penn State. The match will start at noon.
Senior Eva van Agt scored the lone goal of the game for the Wildcats on a solo effort, notching her fourth goal of the season.
The Wildcats used two keepers in the match, with sophomore Florien Marcussen starting and playing the first half and junior Annie Kalfas playing the first 31 minutes of the second half.
Northwestern doubled the Scarlet Knights in shots (8 to 4) and penalty corners (6 to 3), but it was not enough as they tried to chase the game following a two-goal outburst in the opening stages from the visitors.
Rutgers started the scoring in the eighth minute on a penalty corner that turned into a scrum right in front of goal. Linde van Schaik managed to dig the ball out and poke it into the back corner to make 1-0.
The Scarlet Knights compounded their advantage in the 20th minute. Van Schaik pounced on a loose ball and poked it to Daphne Groothuis, who found herself wide open in front of goal. Her shot gave Rutgers a 2-0 lead.
Northwestern responded shortly after in the 23rd minute. Eva van Agt picked up a deflection coming out of the penalty circle, dribbled past two players back into the circle, and then uncorked an unstoppable shot past the Rutgers goalkeeper to make it 2-1.
The 'Cats sent wave after wave of attacks towards the Rutgers' goal in the second half but never could find an equalizer. Their best chances were a penalty corner goal by first year Maren Seidel that was disallowed and a snapshot from Mackenzie Keegan that just fizzled wide.
Chicago's Big Ten Team is back in action on Sunday with another opportunity to claim a ranked win against No. 6 Penn State. The match will start at noon.