Northwestern University Athletics
'Cats Close Out Regular Season At Home Against Wisconsin
11/1/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Nov. 1, 2007
Northwestern Women's Soccer Game Notes (vs. Wisconsin) 
EVANSTON, Ill. -- With a spot clinched in the eight-team Big Ten Tournament field, Northwestern hosts Wisconsin in its regular-season finale, hoping to carry positive momentum into the postseason. The Wildcats have now made the Big Ten Tournament in both of head coach Stephanie Erickson's first two seasons after missing the field in 2005. Friday's match will mark the first night game at the new Lakeside Field with kickoff set for 7 p.m.
Quoting Coach Erickson
"We're facing a team that is fighting to get themselves into the Big Ten Tournament and they will do that with a lot of urgency," Erickson said. "We are playing to have great momentum heading into the tournament and are excited about the first night game at the new Lakeside Field."
Senior Day Festivities Set For Friday Evening
Before Friday's game, head coach Stephanie Erickson and the Wildcats will honor eight seniors who will be playing their last home matches at Lakeside Field. Caitlin Carr, Leslie Gittings, Kelsey Hans, Danielle Iordanou, Lauren Johnston, Stephanie Krutsch, Shannon Schneeman and Kelly Sitkowski are the eight Wildcat seniors.
Access Denied
Although she is close to completing only her second season at Northwestern, Lauren Johnston has placed herself near the top of several Wildcat goalkeeping charts. Johnston has been a part of 13 shutouts in her two years with eight solo shutouts. This places her in a third-place tie with assistant coach Erin Ekeberg on NU's all-time career shutouts list. Being part of all eight of NU's shutouts this season places her in second place behind Wendy Scholz single season mark of nine in 1997.
Caution! High Security
Opponents approaching the Wildcat end of the field must proceed with care. With it's 3-0 win over Iowa on Sunday, Northwestern registered its fifth shutout in its last seven games games. In NU's loss to Minnesota, the Wildcats lost their streak of more than 388 minutes of shutout soccer. NU has already eclipsed its 2006 total of five shutouts. Lauren Johnston has played 1,617 minutes in net and freshman Carolyn Edwards has seen 86 minutes of action.
Who Needs Feet To Score Goals?
Two of NU's three goals against Iowa came off of body parts other than feet. Alicia Herczeg's goal in the first half came off of a header attempt and Kelsey Hans' goal in the second half was chested into the net for her eighth goal of the year. Shannon Schneeman used her foot to notch her eighth tally of the year.
Cutting Hair For a Good Cause
After Sunday's game, 10 players and two coaches cut their hair in support of Locks of Love, an organization that supplies hair pieces to disadvantaged children who suffer from long term medical hair loss. Head coach Stephanie Erickson and assistant coach Danielle Slaton both lost 10 inches of hair while Lauren Johnston took home the individual crown with 14 inches donated. In total, NU Women's Soccer cut 100 inches of hair on Sunday.
One For The Highlight Reel
Alicia Herczeg's goal that gave NU a 2-0 lead against Iowa on Sunday definitely ranks among NU's prettiest goals of the season. Freshman Sam Greene's corner kick went right to the head of Jennifer Baumann on the other side of the box and the freshman headed the ball into the goal box, where Herczeg headed it into the net. It all happened without the ball hitting the ground.
For Northwestern's complete game notes, click the .pdf link above.
