No. 1 'Cats Shut Out No. 18 Duke to Stay Undefeated

Friday, September 2

Chestnut Hill, MA

2 P.M. CT

Northwestern

(3-0)

#18 Duke

(2-1)

Northwestern

Duke University

No. 1 'Cats Shut Out No. 18 Duke to Stay Undefeated

9/2/2022 3:13:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

NEWTON, Mass. – No. 1 Northwestern beat No. 18 Duke 2-0 in its first game of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge hosted in Newton, Massachusetts Friday. The win moved the Wildcats to 3-0 on the season and marked their seventh straight victory dating back to last season.

Senior Ana Medina Garcia scored her first goal of the season in the ninth minute to give Northwestern an early 1-0 lead, a lead the Wildcats held the rest of the game. It marked the first goal for the Madrid, Spain native since the first round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament against North Carolina with her goal in that match also proving to be the game winner.

Fifth-years Bente Baekers and Kayla Blas both recorded assists on the opening goal. It marked Baekers' first of the season and Blas' fifth, the most on the team. Blas has now recorded an assist in each of Northwestern's first three games. She came into the weekend tied for third in the nation in assists.

Baekers extended the lead in the third quarter, finding the back of the net for her seventh goal of the season. She has scored in each of Northwestern's first three games and entered the weekend leading the nation in goals, goals per game, points and points per game. With three points against Duke, it marked the eighth time in her career she has recorded both a goal and an assist in the same game.

Katie Jones was credited with the assist on Baekers' goal for the second straight game, having also recorded an assist Monday against No. 25 UMass.

Goalkeeper Annabel Skubisz secured her first shutout of the season, playing the full 60 minutes and making two saves on nine shots from the Blue Devils. The achievement moved her into a tie for eighth place in Northwestern history with seven career shutouts. She recorded five last year, including three in the NCAA Tournament, en route to the national title.

Northwestern again pummeled its opponents on shots, firing 18. Through three games this season, the Wildcats have out shot their opponents 75-22.

The Wildcats stay in Newton for its second game of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge Sunday when they take on No. 14 Boston College at 3 p.m. CT. The game will be nationally televised on ACC Network.