EVANSTON, Ill. – Second-seed Northwestern defeated Miami (OH) 3-0 at Lakeside Field Friday to open its 2023 NCAA Tournament run. The win advances the Wildcats to the national quarterfinals for the fourth consecutive season and the 16th time in program history.
Lauren Wadas scored the game's first goal in the waning moments of the first quarter, hammering home a penalty corner teed up by Alia Marshall and and Peyton Halsey. It marked Wadas' seventh goal of the season and her fifth career postseason strike.
Guarding a 1-0 halftime lead, the Wildcats turned up the heat in the third quarter. Ilse Tromp finished off a penalty corner from Lauren Hunter and Marshall to double the lead in the 43rd minute. Less than two minutes later, Olivia Bent-Cole netted the dagger.
For Tromp, the goal marked her eighth as a Wildcat, while Bent-Cole reached 10 goals on the season, the first Wildcat true first-year to do so in more than a decade.
Annabel Skubisz set a new program record with her 13th shutout of the season. Her 24 career shutouts place her third all-time in Northwestern history. The All-Big Ten goalkeeper recorded two saves while Northwestern's defense held Miami to just six shots.
Northwestern will continue its NCAA Tournament campaign at home on Sunday against the winner of Iowa-Louisville. The quarterfinal showdown is set to start at 1 p.m. CT and will be streamed on Big Ten Plus.
Lauren Wadas scored the game's first goal in the waning moments of the first quarter, hammering home a penalty corner teed up by Alia Marshall and and Peyton Halsey. It marked Wadas' seventh goal of the season and her fifth career postseason strike.
The breakthrough ?? pic.twitter.com/Qfe264p1hP
— Northwestern Field Hockey (@NUFHCats) November 10, 2023
Guarding a 1-0 halftime lead, the Wildcats turned up the heat in the third quarter. Ilse Tromp finished off a penalty corner from Lauren Hunter and Marshall to double the lead in the 43rd minute. Less than two minutes later, Olivia Bent-Cole netted the dagger.
For Tromp, the goal marked her eighth as a Wildcat, while Bent-Cole reached 10 goals on the season, the first Wildcat true first-year to do so in more than a decade.
?? New Olivia Bent-Cole highlight just dropped ?? pic.twitter.com/89xUSfHjGg
— Northwestern Field Hockey (@NUFHCats) November 10, 2023
Annabel Skubisz set a new program record with her 13th shutout of the season. Her 24 career shutouts place her third all-time in Northwestern history. The All-Big Ten goalkeeper recorded two saves while Northwestern's defense held Miami to just six shots.
Northwestern will continue its NCAA Tournament campaign at home on Sunday against the winner of Iowa-Louisville. The quarterfinal showdown is set to start at 1 p.m. CT and will be streamed on Big Ten Plus.