EVANSTON, Ill. – Redshirt first-year Bente Baekers recorded her second-consecutive hat trick as No. 11 Northwestern extended its winning streak to six games with a 5-2 win at Miami (OH) on Sunday afternoon to cap off a successful weekend road trip to Ohio.
An ambush of goals from Baekers in the second quarter gave the Wildcats a 3-2 advantage at the half. The Dutch native from Rijswijk, The Netherlands added one more score in the fourth quarter to bring her total to 14 goals on the season, tied for the most in the nation with Stanford's Corinne Zanolli. She has scored in all eight on NU's wins this season.
As a team, the Wildcats out shot the Red Hawks, 19-10, and ultimately held Miami scoreless in the game's final three quarters. Northwestern has now held its opponent to two goals or fewer in each of its last eight games.
After the Red Hawks struck first in the first quarter, NU wasted no time responding as Saar de Breij scored on a rebound off a penalty corner to even the score at 1-1.
Miami (OH) took the lead later in the first quarter, but back-to-back goals from Baekers in a span of less than 30 seconds put the 'Cats on top. Kayla Blas and Kirsten Mansfield assisted on Baekers' first goal, while Lily Gandhi fed Baekers with a pass to the center of the circle for the following goal.
Mansfield notched her first goal of the season in the third quarter to extend the Wildcats' lead to 4-2. The redshirt senior now has 11 points on the season (nine assists, one goal), tied with Lakin Barry for second-most on the team.
Chicago's Big Ten Team will be back in action on Friday, September 27, when they host Michigan State at 3 p.m. CT for the first Big Ten matchup at Lakeside Field of the season.
An ambush of goals from Baekers in the second quarter gave the Wildcats a 3-2 advantage at the half. The Dutch native from Rijswijk, The Netherlands added one more score in the fourth quarter to bring her total to 14 goals on the season, tied for the most in the nation with Stanford's Corinne Zanolli. She has scored in all eight on NU's wins this season.
As a team, the Wildcats out shot the Red Hawks, 19-10, and ultimately held Miami scoreless in the game's final three quarters. Northwestern has now held its opponent to two goals or fewer in each of its last eight games.
After the Red Hawks struck first in the first quarter, NU wasted no time responding as Saar de Breij scored on a rebound off a penalty corner to even the score at 1-1.
Miami (OH) took the lead later in the first quarter, but back-to-back goals from Baekers in a span of less than 30 seconds put the 'Cats on top. Kayla Blas and Kirsten Mansfield assisted on Baekers' first goal, while Lily Gandhi fed Baekers with a pass to the center of the circle for the following goal.
Mansfield notched her first goal of the season in the third quarter to extend the Wildcats' lead to 4-2. The redshirt senior now has 11 points on the season (nine assists, one goal), tied with Lakin Barry for second-most on the team.
Chicago's Big Ten Team will be back in action on Friday, September 27, when they host Michigan State at 3 p.m. CT for the first Big Ten matchup at Lakeside Field of the season.