Northwestern University Athletics
"Our First Home Series" - By Sydney Supple
3/30/2021 9:02:00 PM | Softball
For almost two years I have been waiting to play my first official game at The J and experience our legendary home crowd. This weekend was everything my eighth-grade self could have dreamed of when I committed six years ago. The special feeling we feel as players seeing our purple and white flags fly, the scoreboard showcasing moments from past seasons that spike our adrenaline, and the cheering we hear from our families, staff at NU, and loved ones is indescribable.
Wisconsin was our opponent for the first four-game series and they provided us with competitive battles. Every game was an opportunity to continue to write our story this season, and we capitalized on that privilege. To sweep any team in the Big Ten for four games requires effort from top to bottom of a lineup. The beauty in our team is not being nine deep it is being 22 strong and that showed this weekend.
Kate Drohan, our head coach, has preached the message "be ready for when your number is called" since I have stepped on campus. It is a message I have taken to heart and watched in awe as all of my teammates prepare for their moments. This weekend I have the game to thank for blessing my team and me with the moments when our number was called and we were given a spotlight to showcase the months of work that was done in the dark when no one was watching.
Leading up to this weekend series we watched an interview from Texas A&M's Jordan Nixon after she hit the game-winning shot in overtime during the NCAA Women's Tournament. The part that stayed with me was her line, "I knew my teammates trusted me at that moment and they had my back whether I made the shot or not." That feeling is exactly what I felt in game one of this series when my number was called and I was at the plate, down 5-4 with two outs in the seventh. The trust that my teammates had in me at that moment was all the motivation I needed to step in the box and swing with confidence. I won't remember the ball hitting the bat to drive in the winning runs, but I will always remember running to my teammates' open arms for hugs as we celebrated the victory.
Trust carried me at that moment and carried our team all weekend as multiple players shined when their numbers were called. Morgan Newport pitched her first complete game in the circle since her sophomore season and threw a GEM, Gracie Huff stepped into the open right field position and made her moments count, and Danielle Williams came back in game four determined to do whatever it took to get the win pitching and at the plate.
Being 22 strong was the reason behind our series win and it will continue to be our greatest strength in our upcoming match-up versus Maryland next weekend and for the entire season ahead.
(P.S) The truth is...we are really 22+ STRONG with our incredible staff! This weekend will go down in HISTORY as our leaders, Coach Kate and Caryl Drohan, celebrated being Northwestern softball's all-time wins leaders by hitting 641 wins. (Scroll down to watch the perfectly timed ice bath).
Wisconsin was our opponent for the first four-game series and they provided us with competitive battles. Every game was an opportunity to continue to write our story this season, and we capitalized on that privilege. To sweep any team in the Big Ten for four games requires effort from top to bottom of a lineup. The beauty in our team is not being nine deep it is being 22 strong and that showed this weekend.
Kate Drohan, our head coach, has preached the message "be ready for when your number is called" since I have stepped on campus. It is a message I have taken to heart and watched in awe as all of my teammates prepare for their moments. This weekend I have the game to thank for blessing my team and me with the moments when our number was called and we were given a spotlight to showcase the months of work that was done in the dark when no one was watching.
Leading up to this weekend series we watched an interview from Texas A&M's Jordan Nixon after she hit the game-winning shot in overtime during the NCAA Women's Tournament. The part that stayed with me was her line, "I knew my teammates trusted me at that moment and they had my back whether I made the shot or not." That feeling is exactly what I felt in game one of this series when my number was called and I was at the plate, down 5-4 with two outs in the seventh. The trust that my teammates had in me at that moment was all the motivation I needed to step in the box and swing with confidence. I won't remember the ball hitting the bat to drive in the winning runs, but I will always remember running to my teammates' open arms for hugs as we celebrated the victory.
Fight For ??ictory Friday; just the way we like it. #GoCats | #FightForVictory pic.twitter.com/xo4LXATpOR
— Northwestern Softball (@NUSBcats) March 27, 2021
Trust carried me at that moment and carried our team all weekend as multiple players shined when their numbers were called. Morgan Newport pitched her first complete game in the circle since her sophomore season and threw a GEM, Gracie Huff stepped into the open right field position and made her moments count, and Danielle Williams came back in game four determined to do whatever it took to get the win pitching and at the plate.
Being 22 strong was the reason behind our series win and it will continue to be our greatest strength in our upcoming match-up versus Maryland next weekend and for the entire season ahead.
(P.S) The truth is...we are really 22+ STRONG with our incredible staff! This weekend will go down in HISTORY as our leaders, Coach Kate and Caryl Drohan, celebrated being Northwestern softball's all-time wins leaders by hitting 641 wins. (Scroll down to watch the perfectly timed ice bath).
What's better than one ice bath for the all-time @NUSBcats wins leader?
— Northwestern Athletics (@NU_Sports) March 28, 2021
TWOOOOOOOOOOOOO. More action from The J today. #GoCats pic.twitter.com/Nv8gsmPeyB
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