Wildcats Earn First NCAA Bid Since 1998
11/9/2015 5:15:00 PM | Women's Soccer
EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern has punched its ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1998, and the third time in program history, the selection committee announced Monday. The Wildcats will head to Pullman, Washington, to face Pac-12 opponent Washington State on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m. (CST).
"It is a huge step for us," said head coach Michael Moynihan. "We have taken a lot of little steps since arriving here [in Evanston], and we can see a lot of changes in the team's mentality and the quality getting better and better…this is a huge step for us."
Sunday's first-round matchup marks the first all-time meeting between the two programs.
In addition to Northwestern, four Big Ten women's soccer teams earned berths to the tournament: Minnesota, Ohio State, Rutgers and Big Ten Co-Champion Penn State. The Big Ten sends the fourth most teams of any conference to the Tournament, following just behind the ACC (eight), the SEC (six) and the Pac-12 (six).
Chicago's Big Ten Team put together a historical season, despite facing some particularly challenging circumstances. Due to ongoing renovations at Lakeside Field, all of the 'Cats home games and training for the 2015 season were played off campus. Northwestern went 13-5-2 during the regular-season with seven Big Ten victories – the most since 1998 – and appeared in the NSCAA polls for the first time in 17 years. Northwestern did not lose a single match against a team ranked outside the RPI top 45 (based on the most current RPI data).
The #B1GCats tournament bid was bolstered by the stalwart play between the pipes. Sophomore goalkeeper Lauren Clem and the Wildcats' young defense posted a program-best 11 shutouts as well as a goals-against-average of just .530, which ranks among the NCAA's top 10.
Junior forward Addie Steiner has been among the conference's most prolific attackers, ranking sixth in points. Steiner found the net seven times in 2015, alongside seven assists and was named to the All-Big Ten second team.
Washington State mustered up a 14-5-0 overall record and finished 6-4-0 in conference play to finish third overall it he Pac-12. The Cougars 14 wins on the year tied a school record for most wins in a single season, and was achieved for the fourth time. Junior Kaitlin Johnson leads WSU with 20 points (7g, 6a) in 17 appearances.
WHAT THE 'CATS ARE SAYING
"I jumped out of my chair and I have not stopped shaking since that moment. This was not in our vision when [Michael Moynihan] came in my sophomore year, and to be in the NCAA Tournament is a really big accomplishment for us."
- Fifth-year senior Niki Sebo
"It means everything to us. We have not been [to the NCAA Tournament] since 1998. If you look at where the program was three years ago to where it is now, it is another step in the right direction. This is a big one and it means a lot to us."
- Senior Nandi Mehta
"It is a big deal from where we have come and how far we have grown. All we want to do is represent Northwestern well."
- Freshman Brenna Lovera
"I really can't describe this feeling, and I am still numb…This is a dream come true and we have been working for it for so long. To finally have it in our hands is just incredible. I could not be more proud of our team and coaches. We are excited to go to (Pulman) Washington and show them what we've got!"
- Junior Addie Steiner
"When we got here, we weren't thinking about the NCAA Tournament," Moynihan said. "We had a long way to go before we could bring that into the conversation. I give [the senior class] a ton of credit because each year they have just taken it a little bit further. They get hungrier every year, and that is how we got here. I could not be more grateful for this team and proud of what they have achieved."
- Head Coach Michael Moynihan
"It is a huge step for us," said head coach Michael Moynihan. "We have taken a lot of little steps since arriving here [in Evanston], and we can see a lot of changes in the team's mentality and the quality getting better and better…this is a huge step for us."
Sunday's first-round matchup marks the first all-time meeting between the two programs.
In addition to Northwestern, four Big Ten women's soccer teams earned berths to the tournament: Minnesota, Ohio State, Rutgers and Big Ten Co-Champion Penn State. The Big Ten sends the fourth most teams of any conference to the Tournament, following just behind the ACC (eight), the SEC (six) and the Pac-12 (six).
Chicago's Big Ten Team put together a historical season, despite facing some particularly challenging circumstances. Due to ongoing renovations at Lakeside Field, all of the 'Cats home games and training for the 2015 season were played off campus. Northwestern went 13-5-2 during the regular-season with seven Big Ten victories – the most since 1998 – and appeared in the NSCAA polls for the first time in 17 years. Northwestern did not lose a single match against a team ranked outside the RPI top 45 (based on the most current RPI data).
The #B1GCats tournament bid was bolstered by the stalwart play between the pipes. Sophomore goalkeeper Lauren Clem and the Wildcats' young defense posted a program-best 11 shutouts as well as a goals-against-average of just .530, which ranks among the NCAA's top 10.
Junior forward Addie Steiner has been among the conference's most prolific attackers, ranking sixth in points. Steiner found the net seven times in 2015, alongside seven assists and was named to the All-Big Ten second team.
Washington State mustered up a 14-5-0 overall record and finished 6-4-0 in conference play to finish third overall it he Pac-12. The Cougars 14 wins on the year tied a school record for most wins in a single season, and was achieved for the fourth time. Junior Kaitlin Johnson leads WSU with 20 points (7g, 6a) in 17 appearances.
WHAT THE 'CATS ARE SAYING
"I jumped out of my chair and I have not stopped shaking since that moment. This was not in our vision when [Michael Moynihan] came in my sophomore year, and to be in the NCAA Tournament is a really big accomplishment for us."
- Fifth-year senior Niki Sebo
"It means everything to us. We have not been [to the NCAA Tournament] since 1998. If you look at where the program was three years ago to where it is now, it is another step in the right direction. This is a big one and it means a lot to us."
- Senior Nandi Mehta
"It is a big deal from where we have come and how far we have grown. All we want to do is represent Northwestern well."
- Freshman Brenna Lovera
"I really can't describe this feeling, and I am still numb…This is a dream come true and we have been working for it for so long. To finally have it in our hands is just incredible. I could not be more proud of our team and coaches. We are excited to go to (Pulman) Washington and show them what we've got!"
- Junior Addie Steiner
"When we got here, we weren't thinking about the NCAA Tournament," Moynihan said. "We had a long way to go before we could bring that into the conversation. I give [the senior class] a ton of credit because each year they have just taken it a little bit further. They get hungrier every year, and that is how we got here. I could not be more grateful for this team and proud of what they have achieved."
- Head Coach Michael Moynihan
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