Friday, August 17

Bloomington, Ind.

3:30 p.m.

Northwestern

1-0

Miami (OH)

0-1

Team	1	2	Final F
Northwestern	1	1	2
MIAMI	1	0	1

Wildcats Down Redhawks 2-1 In Season Opener

8/17/2018 7:23:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Season Stats

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Northwestern won its fifth-straight season opener on Friday afternoon with a 2-1 win over Miami of Ohio at Bill Armstrong Stadium.

Regan Steigleder and Kayla Sharples provided the goals for the 'Cats and Nikia Smith and Simmrin Dhaliwal each chipped in with an assist.

First year Mackenzie Wood got her first career start in goal and her first career win. Kaylee Titus also made her first ever career start in the backline as a first year.

Northwestern has taken every season opener dating back to 2014 under head coach Michael Moynihan with victories over DePaul, VCU, North Dakota and Notre Dame.

The Wildcats took 13 shots and put six on goal, while holding the Redhawks to just one shot on the afternoon. The 'Cats dominated the contest and had eight opportunities from corners compared to none for Miami.

First years Francesca Docters, Chloe McGhee and Julietta Thron also all made their collegiate debuts.

The Wildcats took the lead 14 minutes into the season on their second shot of the game. Smith played it to the top of the box for Steigleder, who buried the ball in the back of the net for her second career goal to make it 1-0.

Northwestern had a few chances the rest of the first half, but it was the Redhawks who would find the net next. On their first shot of the game just two minutes before the the break, Olivia Winnett curled it into the top corner to tie things up at 1-1.

The Wildcats came into the second half on the front foot and Lovera nearly scored on a header off of a corner kick from Marisa Viggiano.

Sharples put the 'Cats back in front in the 57th minute with her seventh career goal. Dhaliwal crossed into the senior center back's feet and Sharples slotted it home at the near post to make it 2-1. The assist was the first point of Dhaliwal's career

There was a lightning delay after the 62nd minute that lasted about 90 minutes before play resumed.

NU closed the game without even looking close to conceding an equalizer and Lovera and Madi Kennel almost found a late third goal.

Chicago's Big Ten Team closes out its opening weekend of action at the Hoosier Challenge Cup against Wake Forest on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. in Bloomington, Ind.