Wildcats Kick Off Season at Xavier

Sunday, August 22

Cincinnati, OH

12 p.m. CT

Northwestern

Xavier

Photo by: photo by John Konstantaras

8/20/2021 11:15:00 AM | Women's Soccer

2021 NORTHWESTERN WOMEN'S SOCCER
DATE	OPPONENT	TIME (CT)	LOCATION	WATCH	LIVE STATS
Sunday, Aug. 22	Xavier	12 p.m. CT	Cincinnati, Ohio	FloSports ($)	Sidearm
Social: Twitter (@NUWSoccer) \| Instagram (@NUWSoccer)

EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern women's soccer kicks off the 2021-22 Wildcat athletic season with a road trip to Xavier on Sunday. Kick off is set for 12 p.m. CT from Corcoran Field and will be streamed on FloSports.

Fans can subcribe to FloSports at this link: https://flosports.link/3xt91p2

PRICING
$6.99 per month with a .edu email address
$12.50 per month via the Xavier Athletics Link (fans without a .edu email address)

HOW TO WATCH
TV: Download the FloSports TV app on Roku, Apple TV 4, and Amazon Fire TV
MOBILE: Download the FloSports iOS and Android apps
WEB: Bookmark FloSports.TV in your favorite browser

Storylines

The Wildcats set out in head coach Michael Moynihan's tenth season in Evanston looking to build on a solid 2021 spring season, when the 'Cats finished 6-6-1 facing off against only Big Ten schools. With the top 12 players in minutes played from last season returning for this fall, the 'Cats boast an experienced roster with depth and exciting young pieces to compete in a strong conference, featuring five schools appearing in the preseason United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll.

The 'Cats roster eight players who have appeared in an NCAA Tournament match, including five seniors who played in the 2018 NCAA Tournament and two graduate students, Regan Steigleder and Nia Harris, who appeared in the 2017 NCAA Tournament. Additionally, Hallie Pearson appeared in the 2019 NCAA Tournament with Arizona before transferring to Northwestern in 2020.

Steigleder is one of the most experienced players in the conference, having played in 69 games and logged 6,148 career minutes. Senior goalkeeper Mackenzie Wood has started all 50 games possible in her career, and her career goals-against-average of 1.00 ranks second in program history at Northwestern. Her 185 career saves rank fifth all time at NU and are 32 behind fourth place on the list.

Steigleder and Wood were named to the 2021 Big Ten Players to Watch List as well as sophomore midfielder Josie Aulicino. The Northville, Mich. native started every match as a first-year in the spring and played all but 34 minutes possible throughout the 13-game campaign while tallying a goal and three assists. She is one of five sophomores on the list across 42 total honorees in the conference.

The Wildcats have a new face on the sidelines ahead of the 2021 season in assistant coach Rich Manning, who brings a wealth of experience to Evanston. Manning was the head coach at Utah for the previous 19 seasons, where he made eight NCAA tournament appearances and captured five Mountain West championships.

Returners Notes

In front of Wood, the Wildcats return all four members of last year's backline, from left to right, in sophomore Ella Hase, junior Danika Austin, senior Hallie Pearson and senior Julietta Thron. The combination posted six shutouts in 13 games and a goals against average of 0.900. The 'Cats boast capable depth at both outside back positions in Kaylee Titus, Marianna Annest and Chloe McGhee, who all have logged numerous appearances there. Junior Reilly Riggs offers an option at center back as well as first year Emma Phillips.

The Wildcat midfield trio of Steigleder, Aulicino and Rowan Lapi presents a formidable foundation in both directions. Lapi logged 627 minutes in the spring in her first action after suffering a season-ending foot injury four games into her promising first-year season in 2019. All three provide goal-scoring ability and combined for 43 shots last season in 13 games, led by Aulicino's team-high 22 attempts. Steigleder led the team with four goals and one assist. McGhee, Haley Lawson and Francesca Docters all are strong contributors in the midfield with great technical ability.

Forward Olivia Stone should receive the first opportunity at the No. 9 position, and registered three goals and two assists last season. Stone provides great speed through the channels and can powerfully strike the ball with either foot – she tallied 17 shots last season. Junior Aurea Martin notched three goals and and assist in the spring on 17 shots, and is a dangerous player in the final third with creativity and dribbling to go along with her finishing ability.

The 'Cats other attacking options are led by junior Lily Gilbertson, a wide winger with take-on dribbling ability, and Annest, whose left foot is extremely lethal on crosses and dead-ball situations. Junior Paige Miller is a dangerous direct forward while senior Nia Harris is a pressing extraordinaire with pace to stretch opposing backlines.

Esoterica

Northwestern is 6-3 in season-opening games under Moynihan, and 3-0 when kicking off the season away from Martin Stadium (1-0 on the road, 2-0 neutral site). Last year, the Wildcats defeated Indiana 1-0 in the season opener on an 85th minute winner from Martin after an expertly worked set piece.

The Wildcats' last non-conference game was Sept. 13, 2019, a 1-0 loss to No. 18 Kansas. The 'Cats last trip to Cincinnati was a 2-0 win against Cincinnati, with goals from Paige Miller and Nia Harris. NU has never squared off against Xavier, but is 4-1-1 against the Big East under Moynihan, with the tie coming in the 2017 NCAA Tournament when the 'Cats defeated Butler on penalty kicks in the first round. The 'Cats will face the Blue Demons and Bulldogs later this season after squaring off against the Musketeers.

Xavier finished 3-6 in the spring 2021 season, but won an NCAA Tournament match in 2019 as well as the Big East double of regular season and tournament championships. Fourth-year head coach Nate Lie has turned the Musketeer program around in his time in Cincinnati, and own a 38-26-9 record. Lie and Moynihan have squared off once before – in 2012 when Lie was in charge of Miami (OH), Moynihan won his second-ever game in charge of Northwestern 2-1 against the Redhawks.

The Musketeers are off to a strong start this season, winning 1-0 at No. 21 Saint Louis on Thursday.