Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Iowa
'Cats Lose Tightly Fought Contest to No. 5 Iowa
10/3/2008 12:00:00β―AM | Field Hockey
Oct. 3, 2008
IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Northwestern gave fifth-ranked Iowa all they could handle, limiting the high-powered Hawkeyes offense to two goals in a 2-0 loss, Friday at Grant Field in Iowa City. Senior goalkeeper Emily Kyle (San Francisco, Calif./San Francisco University H.S.) stopped eight shots in the loss for Northwestern, who will remain in Iowa for a Saturday afternoon contest against Missouri State at 2 p.m.
Iowa (9-2, 2-0) entered the game leading the Big Ten in goals scored with 42 while allowing the second fewest total goals (12). The Hawkeyes peppered the Northwestern goal early in the game with shots, racking up nine shots in the first half. Senior Caitlin McCurdy scored on a 5-yard shot in the game's 14th minute before senior Katie Naughton slammed home a goal from 10 yards out to put the Hawkeyes up, 2-0.
From there, Northwestern (5-7, 0-2) did well to slow down the game's tempo in an attempt to nullify Iowa's attack, keeping Iowa scoreless over the final 55 minutes. Kyle made big save after big save in the second half to preserve the two-goal deficit for the Wildcats. She now has 66 saves on the year, good for first in the Big Ten.
Senior Lauren Pfeiffer led the Hawkeyes with eight shots while Northwestern had four players register one shot apiece.
NU came close to getting on the scoreboard on several occasions in the second half, with perhaps its best opportunity coming midway through as senior Alison Bullock (Chevy Chase, Md./Stone Ridge) charged down the right sideline. Iowa netminder Lissa Munley came sliding out, deflecting the ball to Northwestern senior Alexandra Quinn (Watertown, Mass./Watertown), but Quinn was unable to get her shot on goal.
