Friday, October 3
Iowa City, Iowa
5 p.m. CT
Northwestern
at
Iowa
Wildcats Travel to No. 10 Hawkeyes
10/2/2025 5:29:00 PM | Field Hockey
EVANSTON, Ill. - After a victorious home opener, the No. 1 Northwestern field hockey team (9-0, 1-0 Big Ten) is set to visit No. 10 Iowa (7-1, 1-0 Big Ten) on Friday, Oct. 3. The Wildcats will take on the Hawkeyes in Iowa City, Iowa, at 5 p.m. CT for the top-10 Big Ten battle. The conference matchup will be streamed on B1G+, played at Grant Field.
NU continues its pursuit of a third straight Big Ten regular season title. The 'Cats are the only undefeated team remaining in the conference, and lead the nation in goals allowed (two). A win in Iowa City would mark head coach Tracey Fuchs' 250th career victory, all with the 'Cats.
Iowa midfielder Dionne van Aalsum leads the Big Ten in goals (16) and points (34) so far in the 2025 season. NU's Ashley Sessa (20) and Ilse Tromp (18) rank third and fourth in the conference, respectively, in points, while Tromp (nine) ranks third in goals. Aerin Krys joins Sessa in leading the league in assists (10), while Iowa's Felicia Zonnenberg ranks third with nine.
Scouting the Hawkeyes
Iowa leads the all-time series 54-32-4, dating back to 1980. The most recent matchup was in 2024, a 5-0 victory for NU at Lakeside Field. The 'Cats have won the past three games against Iowa and three straight games against the Hawkeyes in Iowa City. With 90 games played in the all-time series, the Hawkeyes are NU's most-played opponent.
The Hawkeyes' 2025 offense has been led by van Aalsum, as the junior midfielder leads the NCAA in points per game (4.25). Jordan Byers, Mia Magnotta, Milly Short, Van Aalsum, and Gia Whalen represent Iowa on the 2025 NFHCA Preseason Watchlist. Magnotta, the Hawkeyes' goalkeeper ranks third in the conference in saves per game (4.38).
Northwestern Notables
Following a perfect four-week road stretch, No. 1 Northwestern field hockey opened both its conference and home slates with a commanding 5-0 victory over Indiana on Friday at Lakeside Field. The result also extended Northwestern's Big Ten regular-season winning streak to 21 games.
Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week: Ashley Sessa
The junior forward tallied six points with two goals and two assists, as the 'Cats collected their seventh shutout of the year. Sessa brings in the fourth weekly conference honor this season for the 'Cats, and her fourth career Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week award. It's her first since Nov. 4, 2024, and marks two weeks in a row with NU represented in the conference's weekly offensive awards (Tromp, Sept. 23).
Hosting Indiana, Sessa notched her pair of goals in just 53 seconds to extend NU's lead to 4-0. Sessa is the current leader for NU in points (20), assists (10), and shots on goal (14). Her performance against the Hoosiers stands as her second game of the season with two goals and two assists (Miami (OH)), and her third in which she posted multiple assists. The forward's six-point game matches her career high, earned on three other occasions.
The 'Cats defense on the field has been elite, holding opponents to 56 shots to NU's 164. When she does face a shot, Boon's efficiency in the cage establishes her as a leader in the Big Ten and NCAA. Now with 26 saves and only two goals allowed, Boon leads the nation in goals against average (0.22), save percentage (.929), and shutouts (seven). Boon's shutout against Indiana marked the first shutout in a Big Ten first-year's debut since Gianna Glatz (Rutgers) did so on Sept. 22, 2017.
NFHCA Week Four Ranking: No. 1. The Sept. 30 ranking maintains NU's No. 1 position, for the fifth straight poll. Following its first-ever unanimous preseason No. 1 from the NFHCA, the 'Cats again collected unanimous selection.
After claiming their second national championship in four years and eighth Big Ten regular season title, the 'Cats look ahead to attack their 2025 slate. Over half of Northwestern's 2025 opponents appear in the NFHCA preseason rankings.
The 2025 captains for Northwestern are Greta Hinke, Krys, and Maddie Zimmer.
NU continues its pursuit of a third straight Big Ten regular season title. The 'Cats are the only undefeated team remaining in the conference, and lead the nation in goals allowed (two). A win in Iowa City would mark head coach Tracey Fuchs' 250th career victory, all with the 'Cats.
Iowa midfielder Dionne van Aalsum leads the Big Ten in goals (16) and points (34) so far in the 2025 season. NU's Ashley Sessa (20) and Ilse Tromp (18) rank third and fourth in the conference, respectively, in points, while Tromp (nine) ranks third in goals. Aerin Krys joins Sessa in leading the league in assists (10), while Iowa's Felicia Zonnenberg ranks third with nine.
Scouting the Hawkeyes
Iowa leads the all-time series 54-32-4, dating back to 1980. The most recent matchup was in 2024, a 5-0 victory for NU at Lakeside Field. The 'Cats have won the past three games against Iowa and three straight games against the Hawkeyes in Iowa City. With 90 games played in the all-time series, the Hawkeyes are NU's most-played opponent.
The Hawkeyes' 2025 offense has been led by van Aalsum, as the junior midfielder leads the NCAA in points per game (4.25). Jordan Byers, Mia Magnotta, Milly Short, Van Aalsum, and Gia Whalen represent Iowa on the 2025 NFHCA Preseason Watchlist. Magnotta, the Hawkeyes' goalkeeper ranks third in the conference in saves per game (4.38).
Northwestern Notables
Following a perfect four-week road stretch, No. 1 Northwestern field hockey opened both its conference and home slates with a commanding 5-0 victory over Indiana on Friday at Lakeside Field. The result also extended Northwestern's Big Ten regular-season winning streak to 21 games.
Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week: Ashley Sessa
The junior forward tallied six points with two goals and two assists, as the 'Cats collected their seventh shutout of the year. Sessa brings in the fourth weekly conference honor this season for the 'Cats, and her fourth career Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week award. It's her first since Nov. 4, 2024, and marks two weeks in a row with NU represented in the conference's weekly offensive awards (Tromp, Sept. 23).
Sessa's 6?? point game >> ?????? ?????????? ??
— Northwestern Field Hockey (@NUFHCats) September 29, 2025
For the 4th time in her career, Ashley Sessa is the @B1GFieldHockey Offensive Player of the Week. ??
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Hosting Indiana, Sessa notched her pair of goals in just 53 seconds to extend NU's lead to 4-0. Sessa is the current leader for NU in points (20), assists (10), and shots on goal (14). Her performance against the Hoosiers stands as her second game of the season with two goals and two assists (Miami (OH)), and her third in which she posted multiple assists. The forward's six-point game matches her career high, earned on three other occasions.
The 'Cats defense on the field has been elite, holding opponents to 56 shots to NU's 164. When she does face a shot, Boon's efficiency in the cage establishes her as a leader in the Big Ten and NCAA. Now with 26 saves and only two goals allowed, Boon leads the nation in goals against average (0.22), save percentage (.929), and shutouts (seven). Boon's shutout against Indiana marked the first shutout in a Big Ten first-year's debut since Gianna Glatz (Rutgers) did so on Sept. 22, 2017.
NFHCA Week Four Ranking: No. 1. The Sept. 30 ranking maintains NU's No. 1 position, for the fifth straight poll. Following its first-ever unanimous preseason No. 1 from the NFHCA, the 'Cats again collected unanimous selection.
After claiming their second national championship in four years and eighth Big Ten regular season title, the 'Cats look ahead to attack their 2025 slate. Over half of Northwestern's 2025 opponents appear in the NFHCA preseason rankings.
The 2025 captains for Northwestern are Greta Hinke, Krys, and Maddie Zimmer.
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