Kwon’s Early Goal Leads ’Cats to 1-0 Win over Illinois

Thursday, October 16

Evanston, Ill.

6:30 p.m. CT

Northwestern

7-3-6, 3-2-4

Illinois

12-3-1, 5-3-1

Illinois

Northwestern

Photo by: Mary Grace Grabill/Northwestern Athletics

Kwon’s Early Goal Leads ’Cats to 1-0 Win over Illinois

10/16/2025 9:21:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Jake Epstein

EVANSTON, Ill. — Graduate student midfielder Kelsey Kwon's first-career goal and a gutsy defensive display guided Northwestern to a 1-0 victory over Illinois on Thursday night in Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium.

"It was everything," Kwon said of her game-winner. "I've worked through a lot of injuries to get to this point. Credit to the team, it was such a good team-win, and I'm happy I was able to get on the end of it and help."

RIVALRY DUB ?? pic.twitter.com/iWdukGFmK6
— Northwestern Soccer (@NUWSoccer) October 17, 2025

The Wildcats (7-3-6, 3-2-4 Big Ten) held the Fighting Illini (12-3-1, 5-3-1 Big Ten) to just four shots as they became the first team to score on Illinois in the past three matches.

First-year goalkeeper Nyamma Nelson recorded her ninth clean sheet of the season, moving her into a tie with Lauren Clem for the most shutouts by a first-year in program history. She had posted shutouts in all seven of the team's victories this season.

"We talk a lot about playing 90 minutes," Moynihan said. "Earlier in the year, we put together some fantastic stretches, but they weren't complete games. They were pretty charged up for this game. They knew it was a big one in terms of making a case for the Big Ten tournament. It was also an in-state rivalry that didn't take much to get fired up for."

Northwestern nearly nabbed an opening goal just 13 seconds into the match, when Kennedy Roesch's early effort forced a save out of Illinois goalkeeper Izzy Lee. The Wildcats won four corner kicks within the game's first four minutes.

With the hosts commanding possession in the attacking third, sophomore forward Kate Hennen made attacking inroads from the right wing. After gaining a step on her defender off a pair of nifty turns, Hennen sent a backwards pass to senior midfielder Caterina Regazzoni.

The captain whipped a one-timed ball toward the backpost, and Kwon won the aerial duel, powering a header into the back of the net to give Northwestern a 1-0 lead in the 15th minute.

"It was a beautiful ball," Kwon said of Regazzoni's feed. "I was like, 'Alright, I'm in the box. Gotta get something on this.' I just had to get my head on it. So, I don't know how I did it, but I did."

The Wildcats outshot the Fighting Illini 11-2 in the initial 45 minutes — including a 5-1 edge in shots on goal — but Lee's four first-half saves limited the Northwestern offense to one tally. A diving save from Nelson preserved a first-half shutout for the 'Cats.

While Illinois chased an elusive road point throughout the second half, the Northwestern backline held firm. Despite throwing significant numbers upfield in the latter stages, the Fighting Illini were stymied to the tune of zero second-half shots on goal.

With the win, the Wildcats remain firmly in the hunt for a spot in the conference tournament — where the top 10 teams in the Big Ten's regular season table will earn qualifiers. The program has now won its past three matches at home.

"This year's team is different," Kwon said. "We have it every single day when we go out and train. It's special. It's been really fun to be a part of a team that's so committed, so bought in and wanting so much more. We know that the standards raised this year, and we're right there."

Northwestern will return to action on the road on Sunday, October 19, when Moynihan's squad is set to take on Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind. The match will kick off at 5 p.m. CT, with streaming on Big Ten Network.