Final Four Bound! 'Cats Down Hawkeyes In Shootout

Sunday, November 13

Evanston, ILL.

1 P.M. CT

Northwestern

(18-4 (5-3Big Ten))

#11 Iowa

(12-8 (4-4Big Ten))

Iowa

Northwestern

Photo by: Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics

Final Four Bound! 'Cats Down Hawkeyes In Shootout

11/13/2022 4:05:00 PM | Field Hockey

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EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern Field Hockey punched its ticket to the Wildcats' second-straight NCAA Final Four on Sunday, with a dramatic 2-1 shootout victory over Iowa in front of a jam-packed crowd at Lakeside Field.

This marks the first time in program history the Wildcats have gone to back-to-back final fours. It is also Northwestern's sixth-ever NCAA semifinal trip. The Wildcats will face off next against the No. 3 seed Maryland Terrapins on Friday, November 18 at 2 pm CT at the University of Connecticut's George J. Sherman Family Sports Complex.

The Wildcats and Hawkeyes battled in a low-scoring affair all throughout the day, with shots and penalty corner attempts coming at a premium. Iowa eventually broke the tie early in the fourth quarter off a successful penalty corner attempt, however the 'Cats answered back just three minutes later as Bente Baekers provided the equalizer off a corner attempt of her own.

DRAWN UP TO PERFECTION ??

Baekers finishes off the penalty corner and this one is TIED!!! pic.twitter.com/HxwS75vWEj
— Northwestern Field Hockey (@NUFHCats) November 13, 2022

It marked Baekers' 23rd goal of the season, moving her into sole possession of second place in the country in goals this year.

Alia Marshall and Kayla Blas both earned assists on the goal, their 11th and 15th respectively. Baekers, Marshall and Blas have now combined on seven goals this season, the second most of any trio in the nation.

Goalkeeper Annabel Skubisz was masterful in the net with four saves on the afternoon, all of which came in the two overtime periods. After 80 minutes of deadlocked action, the teams headed to a shootout.

After Iowa jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first two rounds of the shootout, the Wildcats converted on four-straight stroke attempts courtesy of Aerin Krys, Maddie Zimmer, Baekers and Ana Medina Garcia, with Medina Garcia's proving to be the game-winner.

The ????N???? ??????R clinching shootout ?? pic.twitter.com/ulMfCpWLNJ
— Northwestern Field Hockey (@NUFHCats) November 13, 2022

Both of Northwestern's wins in the NCAA Tournament this season have come on shootouts after taking down Miami (OH) 3-2 in a penalty shootout Friday at Lakeside Field. The Wildcats, dubbed the Cardiac 'Cats for their prowess in late game situations, have posted a 7-1 record in games that have finished in overtime or shootouts this year. The team's eight games in overtime this year are the most in a season in program history.