Northwestern
(12-5)
Delaware
(6-4)
Northwestern Advance to NCAA Quarterfinals with 4-1 Win
4/30/2021 4:27:00 PM | Field Hockey
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Northwestern tied a program record with its largest NCAA Tournament win with a 4-1 victory over Delaware in the first round on Friday afternoon.
The Wildcats advanced to the quarterfinals for the second time under head coach Tracey Fuchs after doing so in 2017, and the 13th time in program history.
The three-goal win was tied for the highest margin of victory in program history with a 3-0 win over Stanford in the first round in 1986. The four goals scored tied the most in an NCAA Tournament game in program history with the Wildcats' very first NCAA Tournament contest, a 4-2 win over Virginia 1982.
Halsey Peyton got the 'Cats on the board first with a shot to the top of the cage, just three minutes in. Northwestern was able to maintain offensive possession for the rest of the quarter, getting up three more shots.
The second quarter was slow for both teams, but the Wildcats were once again able to control the pace of play and maintain possession for much of the quarter.
Despite going down a player with a five minute yellow card in the third frame, Bente Baekers was able to end the scoring drought with a shorthanded goal off a penalty corner and put Northwestern up 2-0. Maddie Zimmer quickly followed with just a minute left in the third. She sent in a zinger from the top of the circle and gave the 'Cats a decisive lead.
Baekers opened up the final quarter with another goal off a penalty corner to seal the game for the Wildcats. With just ten minutes left to play, Delaware finally managed to get past Annabel Skubisz who posted six saves on the day.
Northwestern will face Iowa on Sunday at 2 p.m. with a trip to the semifinals on the line. The Wildcats have three wins all-time in the quarterfinal round, and will renew a historical matchup with the Hawkeyes, who they have faced nine times in the NCAA Tournament, with eight of those matchups coming in the quarterfinals.
This year's iteration of the 'Cats will be looking to pull off a difficult three-game sweep of the Hawkeyes after winning back-to-back matchups over then-No. 2 Iowa in Evanston, 2-1, and 1-0, in the final weekend of the regular season.
Team Stats
Peyton Halsey (5)
Shot into top of cage
3:29
Bente Baekers (13)
Assisted By: Alia Marshall , Christen Conley
Penalty corner
40:45
Maddie Zimmer (4)
Shot from top of the circle
44:02
Bente Baekers (14)
Assisted By: Christen Conley , Alia Marshall
Penalty corner
47:54
HOEPFNER, Grace (4)
Assisted By: STRIEN, Femke
Deflection on penalty corner
53:46
