Northwestern University Athletics
Sunday, November 16
Charlottesville, Va.
12 p.m. CT
Northwestern
(21-1, 8-0)
3
vs
2
Miami (OH)
(16-6, 8-1)
1
2
3
4
F
Miami (Ohio)
1
1
0
0
2
Northwestern
2
0
0
1
3
‘Cats Advance to Fifth-Straight Final Four
11/16/2025 4:09:00 PM | Field Hockey
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - With the game tied heading into the final two minutes of regulation, graduate student Grace Schulze came up clutch for Northwestern yet again. Delivering a game-winning goal, the forward propelled the No. 2 Northwestern field hockey team to a 3-2 NCAA Tournament Second Round victory over No. 11 Miami (OH) at Turf Field on Sunday.
Schulze was joined by sophomore midfielder Laura Salamanca and junior midfielder Ella Kokinis, each scoring, as the Wildcats (20-1, 8-0 Big Ten) clinched their fifth consecutive Final Four appearance. The graduate student's late goal was her sixth to claim a game, as many as her season-best total before joining NU.
Entering Sunday's matchup, head coach Tracey Fuchs' squad faced a tough test against the RedHawks (16-5, 8-1 MAC), who boast the nation's No. 1 scoring offense and were not shut out all season. Miami (OH) defeated the No. 4-seed hosts UVA to set up the teams' 23rd all-time meeting.
NU held the RedHawks to just three shots on goal in the win — Miami (OH)'s fewest since the 'Cats limited the RedHawks to two shots on target in a 5-1 victory in Louisville on Sept. 14.
Midway through the first quarter, Salamanca gave Northwestern a 1-0 lead on the game's first penalty corner. The sophomore capitalized on assists from Maddie Zimmer and Schulze.
Although the Wildcats fended off the first Miami (OH) penalty corner in the ninth minute, Kylie Coughlin scored three minutes later to tie the game.
With less than 30 seconds remaining in the opening quarter, Kokinis put NU back in front, evading pressure in the circle to tally her second goal of the season. The junior's last-minute go-ahead score marked her first goal since Sept. 1's 3-0 win at VCU.
The back-and-forth battle continued early in the second quarter as Malena Sabez leveled the score at 2-2 on a penalty stroke in the period's opening moments.
After Sabez's 16th-minute equalizer, neither squad pulled ahead during the remainder of the first half. The Wildcats outshot the RedHawks 9-5 in the first two quarters, including a 5-3 advantage in shots on goal, but the two teams headed into halftime knotted at 2-2.
Northwestern fired four shots on goal in the third quarter, but the 'Cats couldn't find a breakthrough ahead of the final quarter. On the defensive end, NU allowed just one third-quarter shot to maintain the 2-2 scoreline.
The Wildcats knocked on the door for much of the fourth quarter, receiving a crucial penalty corner with 1:48 left to play.
Schulze, who played the insert pass, met the ball at the backpost and turned in her 13th goal of the season to give Northwestern a 3-2 lead with just 100 seconds remaining. Junior back Ilse Tromp recorded the assist.
The late goal proved the eventual game-winner as the Wildcats advanced to the NCAA Tournament Semifinal in Durham, N.C. Final Four games will be played on Friday, Nov. 21, with the national title game on Sunday, Nov. 23. The fifth-straight trip to the Final Four for Northwestern, the 'Cats will meet No. 1 UNC in the semifinal.
Final Four ??
— Northwestern Field Hockey (@NUFHCats) November 16, 2025
NU punches its ticket for a 5??th-straight semifinal.
See you in Durham! ?? pic.twitter.com/IAPtEkG3aw
Schulze was joined by sophomore midfielder Laura Salamanca and junior midfielder Ella Kokinis, each scoring, as the Wildcats (20-1, 8-0 Big Ten) clinched their fifth consecutive Final Four appearance. The graduate student's late goal was her sixth to claim a game, as many as her season-best total before joining NU.
Entering Sunday's matchup, head coach Tracey Fuchs' squad faced a tough test against the RedHawks (16-5, 8-1 MAC), who boast the nation's No. 1 scoring offense and were not shut out all season. Miami (OH) defeated the No. 4-seed hosts UVA to set up the teams' 23rd all-time meeting.
NU held the RedHawks to just three shots on goal in the win — Miami (OH)'s fewest since the 'Cats limited the RedHawks to two shots on target in a 5-1 victory in Louisville on Sept. 14.
Midway through the first quarter, Salamanca gave Northwestern a 1-0 lead on the game's first penalty corner. The sophomore capitalized on assists from Maddie Zimmer and Schulze.
Although the Wildcats fended off the first Miami (OH) penalty corner in the ninth minute, Kylie Coughlin scored three minutes later to tie the game.
With less than 30 seconds remaining in the opening quarter, Kokinis put NU back in front, evading pressure in the circle to tally her second goal of the season. The junior's last-minute go-ahead score marked her first goal since Sept. 1's 3-0 win at VCU.
The back-and-forth battle continued early in the second quarter as Malena Sabez leveled the score at 2-2 on a penalty stroke in the period's opening moments.
After Sabez's 16th-minute equalizer, neither squad pulled ahead during the remainder of the first half. The Wildcats outshot the RedHawks 9-5 in the first two quarters, including a 5-3 advantage in shots on goal, but the two teams headed into halftime knotted at 2-2.
First half flicks ?? pic.twitter.com/UI9axlwXW6
— Northwestern Field Hockey (@NUFHCats) November 16, 2025
Northwestern fired four shots on goal in the third quarter, but the 'Cats couldn't find a breakthrough ahead of the final quarter. On the defensive end, NU allowed just one third-quarter shot to maintain the 2-2 scoreline.
The Wildcats knocked on the door for much of the fourth quarter, receiving a crucial penalty corner with 1:48 left to play.
Schulze, who played the insert pass, met the ball at the backpost and turned in her 13th goal of the season to give Northwestern a 3-2 lead with just 100 seconds remaining. Junior back Ilse Tromp recorded the assist.
The late goal proved the eventual game-winner as the Wildcats advanced to the NCAA Tournament Semifinal in Durham, N.C. Final Four games will be played on Friday, Nov. 21, with the national title game on Sunday, Nov. 23. The fifth-straight trip to the Final Four for Northwestern, the 'Cats will meet No. 1 UNC in the semifinal.
Team Stats
MIAMI (O
NORTHWES
Goals
2
3
Shots
7
18
Shots on Goal
3
10
Saves
7
1
Corners
3
7
Offsides
0
0
Fouls
0
0
Scoring Plays
Laura Salamanca
Assisted By: Maddie Zimmer , Grace Schulze
direct off of corner
7:45
Kylie Coughlin
Assisted By: Berta Mata
tip in off corner
11:29
Ella Kokinis
second chance off of goalie save
14:31
Malena Sabez
Miami (Ohio) Malena Sabez PENALTY KICK GOAL, goal number 0 for season.
15:29
Grace Schulze
Assisted By: Ilse Tromp
GOAL by Northwestern Grace Schulze, Assist by Ilse Tromp
58:20
Game Leaders
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
1
Shots
2
SOG
2
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
4
SOG
2
Goals
0
Assists
1
Players Mentioned
M/F
/ Field HockeyM
/ Field HockeyF
/ Field HockeyB/M
/ Field Hockey
M
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