'Cats Take on No. 3 Iowa on Big Ten Network

Friday, October 6

Iowa City, Iowa

3 p.m. CT

Northwestern

#3 Iowa

Photo by: Mary Grace Grabill/Northwestern Athletics

'Cats Take on No. 3 Iowa on Big Ten Network

10/5/2023 3:55:00 PM | Field Hockey

EVANSTON, Ill. — No. 2 Northwestern field hockey is set for a top-five showdown this weekend as the Wildcats take on the No. 3 Iowa Hawkeyes in Iowa City. Action will begin at 3:00 p.m. CT and will be televised on Big Ten Network.

Storylines

The Wildcats extended their win streak to 11 straight last weekend with defeats of both Michigan State and No. 15 Michigan, tying for the third-longest winning streak in program history. The last Northwestern team to win at least 11 in a row was the 1990 'Cats, who ran off 12 straight from September 15 to October 27. In program history, there have been six total streaks of 11 games or more, including the current one. In addition to the 1990 and 2023 teams, the 1983 and 1988 teams both won 11 straight, the 1984 team won 12 straight and the 1985 team won a program-record 14 in a row to start the season. The current 11-game tear is the longest of head coach Tracey Fuchs' career.
The 'Cats and the Hawkeyes have been fairly evenly matched at the top of the NCAA's defensive ranks this season. Northwestern's 0.58 goals against average ranks second nationally to Iowa (0.55), while the 'Cats' 0.67 shutouts per game edges out the Hawkeyes (0.64) for the top spot. On offense, Iowa's 3.55 scoring margin leads all DI teams, with Northwestern winning the second place spot at 2.31.
Lauren Wadas earned the second Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week award of her career this Monday after scoring the game-winner in Sunday's 1-0 defeat of Michigan. The 'Cats have taken home at least one weekly award in four of six weeks this season, totaling three Defensive Players of the Week, one Offensive Player of the Week and one Freshman of the Week.
Iowa will be the seventh ranked team the 'Cats have faced this season and the first top-ten opponent since the season opener. Northwestern is 5-1 against ranked teams this season, with their only loss coming at the hands of then-No. 9 Louisville.
Northwestern has returned to No. 2 in the NFHCA poll this weekend with North Carolina (8-1) moving to No. 1 and Iowa (10-1) falling to No. 3 after their loss to now-No. 7 Ohio State last Friday.

Matchup Information

The Wildcats trail in the all-time series against Iowa, 30-54-4. In Iowa City, the Hawkeyes have won 27 of the teams' 37 meetings, but the 'Cats won the most recent matchup - which occurred during their 2021 National Championship season - 1-0.
Northwestern and Iowa have met in each of the last three NCAA tournaments, with the 'Cats taking two of those three matchups. Iowa's 3-1 victory came in the delayed 2020 spring season, while Northwestern won 1-0 in 2021 and 2-1 in a shootout last season.