Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Kick Off Big Ten Play This Weekend
9/18/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Sept. 18, 2003
EVANSTON, Ill. - A number of Northwestern administrators were out at the Leonard B. Thomas Sports Complex Sunday morning, enjoying another nice day and checking out the Wildcats women's soccer team's 2-1 win over DePaul.
Among them were a number of administrators who, just two weeks before, had been in Lawrence with the football team and watched the women lose to Kansas, 4-1.
After Sunday's win, the sentiment was overwhelming: this does not look like the same team from the season opener.
Head coach Jenny Haigh could not agree more -- or be more pleased.
"We have absolutely made progress, and I cannot stress how happy I am," she said. "We have solidified some positions that were question marks, and our women have done a great job of showing progress and playing like a veteran team. We have gotten better at playing consistent soccer.
"DePaul was a good win for us," she continued. "Like Kansas, we were facing a solid team with a special player. Whereas we fell on our faces at Kansas, though, we were able to contain DePaul's special player and did a better job overall. It was exciting for us to get the result after playing that well."
Just in time, too. The Big Ten season is upon us in women's soccer, and the Wildcats kick off by facing one of the hottest teams in the conference Friday at 4 p.m. in Michigan State. Following that, NU hosts an always-dangerous Michigan program Sunday at 1 p.m.; the Wolverines started this year 1-3-2 but against one of the toughest schedules in the country.
"It is important that we get off to a good start this weekend, especially since we are at home," said Haigh. "Last year we put our backs up against it early and were playing catch-up the rest of the season. This weekend provides an opportunity to get some momentum going within the conference."
Michigan State comes to NU with a 4-1 record, including three straight wins and three shutouts in 2003. In the last three matches the Spartans have outscored their opponents 11-1; in addition, three women who were All-Big Ten selections a year ago are back.
"Michigan State has a lot of options up front and are very strong in the midfield," said Haigh. "To be honest, I picked them as one of the teams to beat a year ago, but it seems like maybe they're putting it together better this year. They are on a roll, and we definitely have our work cut out for us; they have good players all over the field."
Michigan, as mentioned above, did not earn its first win until last Sunday. However, the Wolverines -- who finished second in the Big Ten a year ago -- have played three teams that have been ranked this season, and in their loss to Oakland they outshot the Golden Grizzlies 21-4.
"Michigan is a team that you can never take lightly," said Haigh. "They have been one of the Big Ten's most successful programs for years, and it is only a matter of time before they get it going again this season. They lost some key players, but they are still speedy and dangerous and they have been tested by one of the most respectable schedules in the country."
Notes on Northwestern...
* NU is attempting to win four matches in a row for the first time since the 2001 season, when the 'Cats won four in a row from Oct. 26-Nov. 4. The last time NU went unbeaten in five matches in a row was during the 1998 season, when the 'Cats went 9-0-1 to start the season (opening with a tie then winning nine in a row).
* NU is 3-5-2 all-time against Michigan State, including a 1-1 tie last year here in Evanston. The last time the Wildcats beat MSU was 1999. Five of the last eight matches in the series have gone to overtime.
* NU is 2-8-1 all-time against Michigan, including 2-0 losses each of the last two years. The last time the Wildcats beat Michigan was 1998; they are 0-4-1 against the Wolverines since then.
* NU's win over DePaul snapped a four-match win streak for the Blue Demons and kept the Wildcats unbeaten all-time against the Blue Demons (3-0).
* Freshman Katie Wright had both goals last Sunday vs. DePaul. She has eight points in NU's three wins, and seven points (3 goals, 1 assist) in the last two matches.
* Wright's goals came 1:03 apart. The only times a Northwestern player has scored two goals faster than that came Sept. 25, 1994 (Stephanie Erickson just five seconds apart vs. Aurora) and Oct. 2, 1996 (Christie Molitor 1:00 apart vs. Loyola).
* Freshman goalkeeper Whitney Jones lowered her goals-against average to 1.35 for the season last Sunday vs. DePaul.
