| NORTHWESTERN FIELD HOCKEY: GAMEDAY INFORMATION | |||||
| DATE | Opponent | TIME | LOCATION | Television | Live Stats |
| Friday, Sept. 10 | No. 23 Kent State | 12 pm CT | Lakeside Field | Big Ten Network+ | Live Stats |
| Sunday, Sept. 12 | No. 25 Maine | 12 pm CT | Lakeside Field | Big Ten Network+ | Live Stats |
| Social: Twitter: @NUFHCats Instagram: @NUFHCats | |||||
EVANSTON, Ill. – No. 5 Northwestern field hockey returns home this weekend to continue its challenging non-conference slate with a pair of Top-25 matchups at Lakeside Field.
The Wildcats will face off against No. 23 Kent State on Friday, Sept. 10 at noon CT to kick off the weekend, followed by an enticing matchup vs. No. 25 Maine on Sunday, Sept. 12 at noon CT. Both games will be streamed live on Big Ten Network+. Following Sunday's game, Northwestern players will also be signing autographs.
Northwestern has currently faced off against a ranked opponent in each of their matches to begin the season. In their last game, the Wildcats provided a pair of fourth quarter fireworks–capped off by an impressive backhand strike by Clara Roth in the final minute–to upend No. 11 Liberty, 4-3. It marked the fourth goal for Roth in the Wildcats' last three games, who is now tied for the most goals in the conference.
SNIPE. GAME.
— Northwestern FH (@NUFHCats) September 7, 2021
?? Clara Roth came up clutch in final minute to secure a win at #11 Liberty!#GoCats | #nufh pic.twitter.com/l6AoiyRHPO
Also tied for the most goals in the conference is Bente Baekers, who scored three goals and added two assists in the Wildcats' first two games of the season at Lakeside Field. Baekers is also tied for the conference lead with 10 points on the season. In just 44 career games played Baekers has already begun to climb into the program's record books; she currently sits at 47 career goals and 104 career points, which ranks 8th and 10th most in program history, respectively.
In their three-game road trip last weekend, the Wildcats also returned their five players who participated in the U-22 Junior Pan-American Championships in Santiago, Chile–Kayla Blas, Alia Marshall, Maddie Zimmer, Lauren Wadas and Annabel Skubisz. The U-22 US women's national team delivered in nail-biting fashion, defeating Chile in the final round of a shootout to claim the bronze medal and clinch a trip to the 2021FIH Junior World Cup in South Africa this December.
In her first game back from the Junior Pan-Am Championships, Skubisz posted a shutout at Duke. The Wildcats outshot the No. 12-ranked Blue Devils, 16-3, and did not allow a Duke shot on goal over the last three quarters of action. Skubisz ultimately recorded six saves over the Wildcats' three-game road trip.
The Wildcats last met up with Kent State in 2018, with NU taking a 4-2 decision on the road. Northwestern last faced off against Maine in 2019, when the Black Bears defeated the 'Cats in a 4-3 overtime affair in Newton, Massachusetts.