Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Indiana
'Cats Knock Off No. 16 Indiana, 1-0
10/15/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 15, 2006
Box Score
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Kelsey Hans (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville) netted the game-winning goal in the 27th minute and Lauren Johnston (Denver, Colo./Denver East) made six saves, including one on a penalty shot, as the Wildcats toppled the 16th-ranked Indiana Hoosiers Sunday, 1-0 in Bloomington. The win snaps Indiana's 13-game unbeaten streak and is Northwestern's first over a ranked opponent since 2004. The Wildcats improve to 4-3-1 in the Big Ten, 8-7-1 overall. Indiana drops to 9-3-4, 5-1-1 in conference.
Northwestern took a 1-0 lead at the 26:57 mark of the first half on a goal by Hans. The junior, who tallied her sixth goal of the year and 27th of her career, took a long crossing pass from sophomore Laura Janowitsch (Grafton, Wis./Grafton) and put it home for the goal. Janowitsch managed to get wide on a defender and create space to serve the ball to Hans. It was the sophomore's fourth helper on the year. She had one in 2005.
Johnston stood on her head in the first half, making four saves including a lead-preserving stop in the 41st minute on a penalty shot by Indiana's Kelly Lawrence. The 'Cats lost a one-goal lead in the last minute of the first frame to Purdue on Friday, but Johnston would not allow it to happen again. She denied the Hoosiers' Beverly Markwort in the last minute to keep the Wildcats ahead. Although Indiana out shot the 'Cats 11-5 in the first half, Northwestern had the 1-0 advantage heading into the break.
The Wildcats had to weather another storm of shots in the second half, but they kept the 16th-ranked Hoosiers at bay. Despite losing the second half shot battle 7-4 the Wildcats held on to their 1-0 lead for the win. Indiana launched a barrage at the Northwestern net in the closing minutes, but the 'Cats were up for the task and held the Hoosiers off the scoreboard. Johnston made two second half saves to keep the 'Cats in front.
"We beat a very good team today," head coach Stephanie Erickson said. "They are very organized and hard to get in on. We had a specific way we wanted to attack and Kelsey was able to finish."
Three of Northwestern's four Big Ten wins have been on the road. The 'Cats have taken road contests at Minnesota, Ohio State and Indiana. It is also the Wildcats' first win over a ranked opponent since they knocked off No. 25 Wisconsin on Sept. 24, 2004.
"It was a great response to losing a game on Friday that we were in. We played like we belonged and played with confidence. We are going to need that confidence because we are going to play some great teams on the road coming up."
Kelsey Hans scored the 27th goal of her Northwestern career. She sits only two goals behind Stephanie Erickson for the all-time record. The junior has two game-winning goals in Big Ten play and five for her career. She netted the game-winner in another 1-0 win in Northwestern's Big Ten road opener at Minnesota.
Johnston has four shutouts in 2006. All of them have been in Big Ten play. She has shut out Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan and Indiana through eight conference games. The 'Cats return to action Thursday at 5 p.m. for a non-conference match against Loyola in Chicago. The next game on the Big Ten slate is Sunday, Oct. 22 at Penn State.
