No. 12 'Cats Set for Two Ranked Tilts at B1G/ACC Challenge

8/29/2018 3:53:00 PM | Field Hockey

2018 NORTHWESTERN FIELD HOCKEY
DATE	OPPONENT	TIME (CT)	LOCATION	WATCH	LIVE STATS
Friday, Aug. 31	#3 Duke	3 p.m.	College Park, Md.	BTN2GO	Sidearm
Sunday, Sept. 2	#13 Boston College	10 a.m.	College Park, Md.	BTN2GO	Sidearm
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EVANSTON, Ill. -- No. 12 Northwestern will take part in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge this weekend, squaring off against No. 3 Duke and No 13 Boston College in College Park, Md.

The match against Duke is set for 3 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 31 with the start time against Boston College set for 10 a.m on Sunday, Sept. 2. Both matches will be streamed on BTN+.

The Wildcats are 1-1 after welcoming a pair of ranked opponents to Evanston the opening weekend of the season. The 'Cats dropped a tight 4-2 decision to No. 1 UConn, but prevailed 3-2 over No. 15 Stanford in a thrilling double-overtime affair.

Senior Puck Pentenga leads Northwestern with 5 points, after scoring against the Huskies and tallying three assists against the Cardinal. Pentenga was named to the Big Ten Preseason Honors list along with classmates Eva van Agt and Charlotte Vaziri, and is also coming off third team All-America and first team All-Big Ten selections last season.

Junior back Kirsten Mansfield also has a goal and two assists, while junior Saar de Breij has a goal and an assist, including the game-winner against Stanford in double overtime.

The 'Cats have used both Annie Kalfas and Florien Marcussen in net this season. Kalfas got the nod for the second half against UConn, and played the entire match against Stanford, making five saves.

This season is the fourth iteration of the B1G/ACC challenge where NU has taken on BC and Duke. Northwestern has triumphed over Boston College twice, including a memorable contest in 2016 when the 'Cats walked it off against an eighth-ranked squad thanks to a goal from Mansfield at the end of regulation.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS

No. 3 Duke

The Blue Devils are off to a 2-0 start to the season after defeating No. 22 William and Mary, 4-0, and No. 23 Liberty, 4-3, in overtime.

Duke made its fifth straight NCAA Tournament quarterfinals appearance last year after going 17-4 and 4-2 in the ACC. The Blue Devils had two selections to the Preseason All-ACC team in Margaux Paolino and Rose Tynan.

Paolino played with the U.S. Women's National Team in the summer after being named third-team All-America in 2017. Tynan scored 17 goals and assisted five last year and was also named to to the third team All-America.

Northwestern's last win against Duke was 3-2 victory on the road in 2013.

No. 13 Boston College

The Eagles have played just one game this season, a 7-0 win at Quinnipiac. Last year, Boston College finished 11-8, but just 0-6 in the ACC. They were picked to finish sixth in the ACC this season in the preseason coaches' poll.

Leading the way for the Eagles is senior center back Frederique Haverhals, who was named to the preseason All-ACC team and the third-team All-America last season. Sophomore Fusine Govaert led the team last year as a freshman with six goals and one assist.

The Wildcats lead the all-time series against Boston College, 11-2, taking two out of three matches in Tracey Fuch's tenure, winning 3-1 in 2015 and 2-1 in 2016.