Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Ready for Weekend Road Trip
8/25/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Aug. 25, 2005
EVANSTON, Ill. --Northwestern's longest road trip will be its first, as the `Cats embark on four consecutive away matches. NU will take on UW-Milwaukee at 6 p.m. Friday, before traveling to neighboring Marquette, at noon Sunday. Both matches are part of the Sixth Annual Milwaukee Cup, jointly hosted by the two Milwaukee cross-town rivals.
Head coach Jenny Haigh sees the opening tour as a perfect test for her Wildcats. Last year, seven out of NU's eight losses came on the road. On September 2, the `Cats will head to Texas to do battle with the Big 12's Texas Tech and Baylor
"The biggest lesson we learned last year was that we need to be as prepared to compete on the road as well as at home," Haigh says. "We have a lot of pride playing in our home field, but we need to carry that same pride as competitors at any facility against any opponent."
And while this weekend's two matches will be important road games for the team, it will be homecoming for three NU defenders. Tori Bohannon (Neenah, Wis.), Laura Janowitsch (Grafton, Wis.) and Shannon Cusick (Milwaukee, Wis.) all hail from surrounding areas.
Bohannon headlines a new look defense for the `Cats hoping to match the team's attacking offense led by sophomore Kelsey Hans (Lakeville, Minn.). Hans, who set the school record for goals in a season (15) as a freshman, already made her presence felt in 2005, scoring a goal in NU's 3-0 exhibition win over Western Michigan.
"Our attack will be a strength, whereas our back line is a bit of an unknown," said Haigh. "It's an area we will certainly put emphasis on, especially this weekend."
Some things to think about as the Wildcats open their 2005 season...
• Northwestern is 1-3-2 all-time against Marquette and 3-3-1 all-time against UW-Milwaukee.
• NU previously opened its 1994 campaign against UW-Milwaukee, with a 3-2 double-overtime loss.
• UW-Milwaukee, the unanimous preseason Horizon League favorite, went 1-2 against Big Ten foes last season. Purdue shut out the Panthers earlier this year, 3-0. Last year, NU took down the Boilers, 2-1, at home.
• Marquette enters its first year in the re-aligned Big East Conference. Marquette lost its previous match against St. Louis, 2-0. The Golden Eagles will take on Illinois before Sunday's match against the `Cats. Last year Marquette and Northwestern faced three common opponents -- Oakland, Indiana and Wisconsin. Marquette lost all three matches, with NU picking up three wins.
• Both Milwaukee schools will start two first-year net-minders. The Golden Eagles will start Iowa State transfer, sophomore Laura Boyer. The Panthers will start true freshman Erin Kane.
