Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Resume Big Ten Play at No. 7 Indiana
10/7/2005 12:00:00β―AM | Field Hockey
Oct. 7, 2005
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern's field hockey team travels to Bloomington, Ind. to face seventh-ranked Indiana at 2p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8.
Northwestern (6-5-0, 0-2 Big Ten) looks to improve upon its 8-0 all-time record against the Hoosiers, who are 10-1, 2-0 in conference play. The last meeting between these two teams was on Oct. 8, 2005. Northwestern went to an extra session with Indiana before Holly Palin (Mequon, Wis./University School of Milwaukee) sent home the match-winner for the 'Cats.
The Wildcats are 3-2 on the road this season, with their last match a 4-3 loss at Iowa Tuesday.
Northwestern continues to feature a balanced offensive attack this season, with four players having scored six goals or more and at least 14 points. Freshman forward Jill Putnam (Greenfield, Mass./Greenfield) not only leads the team in goals, but her 10 scores this season make her the nation's top-scoring freshman.
Putnam leads the Big Ten in goals per game (.91), is fourth in goals and fifth in points per game (1.82).
Junior Meghan Small (Bethlehem, Pa./Moravian Academy) has also made her presence felt this season. Small has seven goals and four assists in 11 matches this season-good for 10th in the conference in points per game (1.64).
Between the pipes, junior goalkeeper Sherri-Anne Nyberg has performed admirably. Nyberg's 91 saves this season ranks first in the Big Ten and top-10 nationally.
In the national polls, Northwestern remains on the edge of breaking into the NFHCA top-20. For the third straight week, the Wildcats received the second-most votes of any team not ranked in the top-20.
Indiana comes into the match riding a seven-match winning streak, and is a perfect 5-0 at home this year. The Hoosiers are led by senior Kayla Bashore and junior Lydia Schrott, who have 18 points apiece.
The Wildcats offense will have to make the most of its opportunities, as the Hoosiers have allowed opponents only 109 shots this season. Indiana goalkeeper Haley Exner ranks 11th in the country with a 1.2 goals-against average.
"I'm looking forward to the tomorrow's game," head field hockey coach Kelly McCollum said. "Our focus this week has been on response. We've definitely hit the most difficult part of our schedule, and now it's about how we respond to the competition. The kids have had a really good week of practice following the match at Iowa, now it's about learning and taking the next step to competing with the best in the Big Ten."
Northwestern remains in Bloomington for a neutral-site match against Lindenwood at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 9. The Lions, who compete in the NAIA, are 2-3 on the season.
