Northwestern University Athletics
2002 Women's Soccer -- Spring Recap
4/18/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
April 18, 2002
EVANSTON, Ill. - When the 2002 spring began, Northwestern women's soccer coach Jenny Haigh had a definite sense of what she was looking for from her team.
"We set out to have a winning record and compete all the time in our matches," she said. "We wanted to become a better soccer team."
Consider the mission accomplished. The Wildcats finished with a 3-0-2 record during the non-traditional season, in the process knocking off or playing level with teams who have established national reputations.
"We were happy with our progress," Haigh said after the final match of the spring. "We had some very good results, and to get in the win column was important. We were more consistent in the quality of our soccer and how we competed."
The Wildcats started the spring by defeating the University of Kentucky, 2-1, in Lexington. Northwestern was down, 1-0, but came back to tie the game on a goal by Kristiina Gilkey (Cincinnati, Ohio/Ursuline Academy). Kristen Pearce (Morrison, Colo./Bear Creek) assisted the goal with a nice ball into the box, which Gilkey knocked home from eight yards out. Janelle Harwood (Brighton, Mich./Brighton) then put Northwestern ahead for good, 2-1, when Carolyn Hack (Downers Grove, Ill./North) sent a ball over the top of the Kentucky defense. Harwood tracked it down and beat the UK goalkeeper with the shot. It was an impressive win for the Wildcats, as Kentucky was ranked in the Top 25 nationally throughout the fall season. In addition, these two teams are scheduled to meet during the regular season, again in Lexington, on September 15.
Next up was a playday at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where the Wildcats played two matches. NU started the day by tying the host Panthers, 1-1. Northwestern scored first when Hack headed home a pass from Aileen Guiney (Naperville, Ill./North). However, UWM scored in the last five minutes to earn the draw. In the second match, NU downed Big Ten foe Iowa, 3-0. Katie Hertz -- a graduating senior who trained with the team this spring -- headed home a pass from Guiney, Gilkey scored on an assist from Kelli Wilson (Fayetteville, Ark./Fayetteville), and Pearce scored on an assist from Harwood.
The spring ended with two regulation matches, against Loyola-Chicago and then Marquette. The Wildcats defeated the Ramblers, 1-0, despite a sloppy effort after a good start. The spring campaign ended with a 1-1 draw vs. Marquette, a Top-25 team that hosted an NCAA regional last fall. The spring ended with fitness testing.
"I was really happy with our players," said Haigh of the results, both on the field and in terms of fitness. "Their effort and investment into what we're trying to accomplish showed that they are willing to take the step forward -- we asked a lot of them, and they stuck with it. They did a good job of responding and showed a great attitude. You could tell they want to get better, both as individuals and as a team.
"One of the other things I was most happy about was our resilience," said Haigh. "A few times this spring we fell behind but made it up and got back into the match. That is important -- we struggled with that during the fall season. It was reassuring to see them show mental toughness."
With the summer months coming up, Haigh cannot wait for August to roll around and the official 2002 season to start.
"Most of our players have plans to play this summer, which is exciting," she said, "and we have some pretty solid players coming in who will bolster the lineup. I'm really looking forward to seeing the progress our players make during the next few months and see where they stand when they come to camp in August."
