Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Ready For Home Opener
8/31/2006 12:00:00β―AM | Field Hockey
Aug. 31, 2006
Evanston, Ill. -- After opening the 2006 season on the road, the Wildcats return to the friendly confines of the Leonard B. Thomas Athletic Complex for a pair of weekend games. Northwestern (1-1) faces Missouri State (0-1) in the home opener at 1 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 1 and then battles with Maine (2-1) at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 3.
Last time out
Northwestern used three first-half goals en route to a 4-3 victory over Ball State Sunday afternoon.
"Today was a true team effort," head coach Kelly McCollum said. "I am proud of how our team responded from a tough loss yesterday. We set our standard of play and played our possession game, which allowed us to control the match."
Four different 'Cats contributed to the scoring column, as Christina Foley (Cape Elizabeth, Maine/Cape Elizabeth), Alex Quinn (Watertown, Mass./Watertown), Jill Putnam (Greenfield, Mass./Greenfield) and Elizabeth Gemgnani (Allentown, Pa./Salisbury) all recorded their first goals of the season.
Northwestern wasted no time getting on the board. At the 7:33 mark, Foley put the ball between the pipes off a corner, thanks to assists from Katie Charles (Worthington, Ohio/Thomas Worthington) and Amanda Care (Newtown, Pa./Pennsbury).
Ball State responded with a goal at the 11:52 mark, but the 'Cats had an answer. Less than a minute later, Quinn contributed her goal as the sophomore backhanded the ball into the cage from the left side. Megan Sieberg (Toledo, Ohio/Maumee Valley Country Day) assisted Gemgnani with less than a minute left in the first stanza to push NU's advantage to 3-1 at the break.
The Wildcats opened the second half with a goal by Putnam thanks to an assist by Quinn. Northwestern held on to win, despite two late-match goals by the Cardinals.
Scouting Missouri State
The Bears have played only one match this season, a 1-0 loss to St. Louis. Northwestern holds a 9-1 advantage in the all-time series.
Scouting Maine
The Black Bears enter this weekend with a 2-1 mark, having defeated Sacred Heart (2-1 OT) and Rhode Island (3-2). They dropped a 2-1 overtime decision to Fairfield the last time out. Maine's record will change before they meet up with the 'Cats due to a neutral-site game versus Missouri State on Saturday in Evanston. This will be the first meeting between NU and Maine. Gina Legge and Nicole Emery have provided most of the offense for Maine, scoring two goals a piece.
