Northwestern
Georgetown
Wildcats Win Third Straight with Shutout Against Hoyas
9/11/2008 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Sept. 11, 2008
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern won its third-straight contest and posted back-to-back shutouts for the first time since 2003 in knocking off Georgetown, 3-0, in College Park, Md. in the first game of the Terrapin Invitational. NU was knotted in a scoreless tie at halftime before riding second-half goals by senior Alexandra Quinn, junior Courtney Plaster-Strange and senior Alison Bullock to victory.
“We're excited to earn the shutout and there were a few really key plays by our defense that ensured that,” head coach Kelly McCollum said following the first-ever match-up between NU and Georgetown. “Overall, I am so proud of our team's perseverance. The game was tight but I thought we did a great job staying true to strategies we've been working on all season.”
Quinn helped Northwestern (3-2) draw first blood eight minutes into the second half when she finished off a centering pass from sophomore Kendra Sirak. Quinn now has five goals on the young season and has hit the back of the cage in three straight games, the first Wildcat since Plaster-Strange scored in three straight games from Oct. 5 to Oct. 13 last season.
It remained a one-goal game for the next 17 minutes until Plaster-Strange converted a penalty stroke, beating Georgetown keeper Deirdre Crovo, for the sixth goal of her career. Six minutes later, Plaster-Strange helped ice the game for the 'Cats by feeding Bullock in front of the net for her second goal in as many games.
Senior goalkeeper Emily Kyle made four saves en route to her second consecutive shutout. Northwestern's defense limited the Hoyas to just six shots on the game.
NU has a day of rest on Friday before returning to action Saturday against No. 14 American (2-2). Sunday, Northwestern takes on host Maryland (4-0), who this week claimed the No. 1 spot atop the STX/NFHCA Coaches Poll.
