Photo by: Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics
No. 3 Northwestern to Host No. 6 Michigan on Senior Night
10/19/2022 9:13:00 AM | Field Hockey
| NORTHWESTERN FIELD HOCKEY: GAMEDAY INFORMATION | |||||
| DATE | OPPONENT | TIME | LOCATION | TELEVISION | STATS |
| Friday, October 21 | No. 6 Michigan | 3 p.m. CT | Lakeside Field Evanston, Ill. |
Big Ten Network | Live Stats |
| Social: Twitter: @NUFHCats Instagram: @NUFHCats | |||||
EVANSTON, Ill. – No. 3 Northwestern returns to Evanston for a top-10 Big Ten tilt with No. 6 Michigan on Senior Night Friday. The contest will be Northwestern's final home game of the regular season and will be nationally televised on the Big Ten Network starting at 3 p.m. CT.
Tickets at Lakeside field are free for fans of all ages.
STORYLINES
» Friday's Senior Night will celebrate eight players who have served as cornerstones in arguably the greatest five-year stretch in Northwestern history. The Wildcats have been ranked in every game the 2022 seniors have played for Northwestern, climbing all the way to the program's first-ever No. 1 ranking earlier this season. Last November, this group paved the way through the NCAA Tournament to Northwestern's first national title, defeating Liberty 2-0 in the championship game. They also gave Northwestern its first win over a top-ranked team in program history last season when they shocked then-No. 1 Iowa on the road with a go-ahead goal in the 57th minute. Since 2018, these seniors have won 65 games, and this season they have helped Northwestern to a 12-3 record and a No. 3 ranking.
» Northwestern's late-game dominance was on full display against last weekend with two wins headlined by Ana Medina Garcia's overtime walk-off goal against then-No. 21 Ohio State. The Wildcats have scored 28 goals in the second half and overtime this season, second most in the Big Ten and fourth most in the country. Additionally, their three overtime wins are tied for first in the conference and their eight goals in the 55th minute or later rank second.
» Medina Garcia's walk-off goal against the Buckeyes was her second game-winner of the weekend, also scoring the go-ahead goal two days prior against Michigan State. Medina Garcia has scored eight game-winning goals in her career, perhaps most notably scoring a decisive goal in the 57th minute to knock off then-No. 1 Iowa on the road last season.
» Fifth-year forward Bente Baekers achieved two major milestones last weekend, becoming the second player in program history and the fifth player in Big Ten history to reach 80 career goals and also becoming the first player in the nation to score 20 goals this season. She leads the country in goals (20) and points (46) and has scored in all but three games this year. Baekers also ranks second among all active players in career goals, goals per game, points and points per game.
» Goalkeeper Annabel Skubisz tied a career high with 11 saves in the overtime win against Ohio State, notably saving a penalty stroke to keep the score 0-0 in the second quarter. Her 59 saves on the year are nine shy of a career high with three games left in the regular season. Skubisz has also posted four shutouts in 2022, bringing her career total to 10, seventh most in Northwestern history.
» Friday's game will be the 65th all-time between Northwestern and Michigan, a series the Wildcats lead 33-31. It will be the first meeting in Evanston since 2019, a game Northwestern won 1-0 following a penalty shootout.
» This weekend's game will mark the third straight in the all-time series that both Northwestern and Michigan are ranked in the top 10. It will be the 10th straight game between the programs in which both are ranked in the top 11.
» Michigan climbed four spots in this week's NFHCA coaches poll following two shutouts last weekend against Indiana and then-No. 5 Iowa. The Wolverines highest ranking this season came in the preseason poll when they clocked in at No. 3. Michigan will be Northwestern's 13th ranked opponent in 16 games this year. All but two of Northwestern's opponents so far this year have been ranked in at least one poll.
» Northwestern's late-game dominance was on full display against last weekend with two wins headlined by Ana Medina Garcia's overtime walk-off goal against then-No. 21 Ohio State. The Wildcats have scored 28 goals in the second half and overtime this season, second most in the Big Ten and fourth most in the country. Additionally, their three overtime wins are tied for first in the conference and their eight goals in the 55th minute or later rank second.
ANA MEDINA GARCIA GOT THAT DOG IN HER ??#B1GCats | #CelebrateVictory pic.twitter.com/qXeGmugO7j
— Northwestern Field Hockey (@NUFHCats) October 16, 2022
» Medina Garcia's walk-off goal against the Buckeyes was her second game-winner of the weekend, also scoring the go-ahead goal two days prior against Michigan State. Medina Garcia has scored eight game-winning goals in her career, perhaps most notably scoring a decisive goal in the 57th minute to knock off then-No. 1 Iowa on the road last season.
» Fifth-year forward Bente Baekers achieved two major milestones last weekend, becoming the second player in program history and the fifth player in Big Ten history to reach 80 career goals and also becoming the first player in the nation to score 20 goals this season. She leads the country in goals (20) and points (46) and has scored in all but three games this year. Baekers also ranks second among all active players in career goals, goals per game, points and points per game.
» Goalkeeper Annabel Skubisz tied a career high with 11 saves in the overtime win against Ohio State, notably saving a penalty stroke to keep the score 0-0 in the second quarter. Her 59 saves on the year are nine shy of a career high with three games left in the regular season. Skubisz has also posted four shutouts in 2022, bringing her career total to 10, seventh most in Northwestern history.
SCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOBS!!!!!
— Northwestern Field Hockey (@NUFHCats) October 16, 2022
Annabel Skubisz with the HUGE penalty stroke save! ??#B1GCats | #NUFH pic.twitter.com/faj3WgD2aR
MATCHUP INFO
NO. 6 MICHIGAN (Friday, October 21, 3 p.m. CT)» Friday's game will be the 65th all-time between Northwestern and Michigan, a series the Wildcats lead 33-31. It will be the first meeting in Evanston since 2019, a game Northwestern won 1-0 following a penalty shootout.
» This weekend's game will mark the third straight in the all-time series that both Northwestern and Michigan are ranked in the top 10. It will be the 10th straight game between the programs in which both are ranked in the top 11.
» Michigan climbed four spots in this week's NFHCA coaches poll following two shutouts last weekend against Indiana and then-No. 5 Iowa. The Wolverines highest ranking this season came in the preseason poll when they clocked in at No. 3. Michigan will be Northwestern's 13th ranked opponent in 16 games this year. All but two of Northwestern's opponents so far this year have been ranked in at least one poll.
Players Mentioned
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Field Hockey - Tromp’s Hat Trick Pushes NU to 4-0 Win at Delaware (9/19/25)
Monday, September 22
Field Hockey - Tracey Fuchs Joins B1G Today (9/15/25)
Monday, September 15
Field Hockey - ‘Cats Take Clutch 2-1 Overtime Win at Louisville (9/12/25)
Sunday, September 14
