Northwestern University Athletics
Field Hockey Team Making Tremendous Strides
6/21/1999 12:00:00β―AM | Field Hockey
The Wildcats opened the 1998 campaign with a win against Wake Forest, coached by former Wildcat standout Jennifer Averill. Two days later, NU led top-ranked Virginia at halftime, 1-0, before dropping a 3-1 decision. NU took a 4-4 mark into Big Ten play, receiving quality play from freshman forward Lisa Comrie, who had tallied three goals through the season's first eight contests. Comrie ended the season atop the Wildcat scoring list with six goals and 14 points overall. She also tallied the game-winning goal against Dartmouth on Sept. 14.
In Big Ten play, NU experienced a couple of early heartbreaking losses. The Wildcats dropped a 3-2 decision at Ohio State as the Buckeyes scored on a penalty corner after time had expired. One week later, NU dropped a pair of 3-2 decisions at home to Michigan State and Michigan after leading both contests at halftime.
The Wildcats earned their first Big Ten victory of the season with a 3-2 win at archrival Iowa. Senior forward Wendy DeFord tallied the winning goal with three minutes remaining in that game, which also marked the 300th victory in the history of the Northwestern field hockey program. NU closed out the Big Ten regular season with a 2-1 victory at Michigan State, winning the contest in penalty strokes. The Wildcat defense also showed a great deal of improvement as the season came to an end, allowing only one goal in each of the final four games of the year.
The Wildcats showed a great deal of heart in two exciting come-from-behind victories during the 1998 season. In the season opener versus Wake Forest, NU trailed 1-0 at halftime, but rallied for two second-half scores and a 2-1 victory. On October 23 against Southwest Missouri State, the Lady Bears took a 2-0 lead into halftime. NU rallied late in the second half to tie the game, and would eventually win 3-2 on a goal by senior defender Annie Scuilli in overtime.
Senior forward Wendy DeFord was named second-team All-Big Ten and first-team all-region. DeFord ranked second on the team in scoring with four goals and four assists. She tallied game-winning goals against Miami (Ohio) and at Iowa. Junior goalkeeper Jess Yates earned a spot on the all-region second team. Yates started 14 of the Wildcats' 20 games, posting a 2.04 GAA and a .759 save percentage. Six members of the squad earned Academic All-Big Ten distinction: Wendy DeFord, Amy Haase, Ana Perez, Allyson Perry, Wendy Roberts and Annie Scuilli.
