Northwestern University Athletics
Sunday, November 23
Durham, N.C.
12 pm CT
Northwestern
(22-1, 8-0)
2
vs
1
Princeton
(18-4, 6-1)
1
2
3
4
5
6
F
Northwestern
0
0
0
1
0
1
2
Princeton
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
Photo by: Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics
BACK-TO-BACK. Northwestern Takes Down Princeton, 2-1, Repeats as National Champions
11/23/2025 4:11:00β―PM | Field Hockey
DURHAM, N.C. β No. 2 Northwestern field hockey won its second consecutive national championship on Sunday afternoon, knocking off No. 3 Princeton 2-1 in double-overtime at Jack Katz Field.
Behind goals from sophomore midfielder Kate Janssen and junior back Ilse Tromp, the Wildcats (22-1, 8-0 Big Ten) clawed back from a one-goal fourth-quarter deficit to take down the Tigers (18-4, 6-1 Ivy League). Sophomore forward Ashley Sessa, graduate student midfielder Maddie Zimmer and Tromp recorded assists in the victory.
Β
For her efforts, Zimmer was awarded NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors for the third time in her career. Zimmer is the first player in program history to win three national championships.
Redshirt first-year goalkeeper Juliana Boon recorded four saves as she guided a steady defensive performance. Boon helped NU pitch its 14th consecutive overtime shutout, a streak that spans back to Oct. 16, 2022.
Northwestern has now won three national titles in the past five seasons under head coach Tracey Fuchs. The 'Cats avenged their sole loss in the regular season β a 3-2 defeat to Princeton on Oct. 13 at Lakeside Field.
Northwestern drew a pair of first-quarter penalty corners, but both defenses held firm in a scoreless opening 15 minutes.Β
While the Wildcats commanded possession deep in the Princeton half, they couldn't break the first-half deadlock. Graduate student forward Grace Schulze paced the Northwestern offense with two shots in the first two quarters.Β
Boon recorded a save to preserve her first-half shutout. The Wildcats held the Tigers to a season-low one first-half shot.
Less than four minutes into the third quarter, junior forward Olivia Bent-Cole drew an NU penalty corner. Although the 'Cats had back-to-back APC opportunities, Princeton denied a would-be opener on the doorstep.
The Tigers drew their first penalty corner of the game in the 42nd minute, which Boon leapt to save away from danger. After a second Princeton penalty corner went wide, the Wildcats looked to push the tempo on a counterattack.
But on the Tigers' third penalty corner of the quarter, Beth Yeager broke the deadlock, handing Princeton a 1-0 lead with 1:31 remaining in the period. Schulze nearly directed a Sessa feed into the net in the quarter's closing seconds, but Northwestern entered the final 15 minutes trailing 1-0.
Through 45 minutes of action, the two teams recorded eight shots apiece. The Wildcats led 6-3 on corners but still vied for a breakthrough.
Janssen delivered the tying goal in the 50th minute, capitalizing off Tromp's assist to knot the score at 1-1.
Β
With just 5:39 remaining, Northwestern entered a player-down scenario for two minutes. Despite being down to 10 players, the Wildcats drew their eighth penalty corner of the afternoon, forcing a save out of Princeton's Olivia Caponiti.
Northwestern earned a corner with just seven seconds left in regulation but couldn't find a last-ditch winner. For the second consecutive game, the Wildcats headed to sudden-death overtime.
Just over three minutes into overtime, Sessa turned defense into instant offense and nearly ended the championship bout on a one-on-one with Caponiti. The play proved the most threatening chance in a scoreless first overtime.
Moments after the opening passback in double overtime, Sessa drew Northwestern's 10th penalty corner of the game. At the decisive juncture, Tromp fired in the national-championship-clinching goal, propelling the Wildcats to a 2-1 victory.
Β
With the win, Northwestern became the first program to win multiple national titles as an unseeded squad since at least 1998.
Behind goals from sophomore midfielder Kate Janssen and junior back Ilse Tromp, the Wildcats (22-1, 8-0 Big Ten) clawed back from a one-goal fourth-quarter deficit to take down the Tigers (18-4, 6-1 Ivy League). Sophomore forward Ashley Sessa, graduate student midfielder Maddie Zimmer and Tromp recorded assists in the victory.
Β
BACK-TO-BACK NATIONAL CHAMPS ?? pic.twitter.com/eMuYuacK6b
β Northwestern Field Hockey (@NUFHCats) November 23, 2025
For her efforts, Zimmer was awarded NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors for the third time in her career. Zimmer is the first player in program history to win three national championships.
Redshirt first-year goalkeeper Juliana Boon recorded four saves as she guided a steady defensive performance. Boon helped NU pitch its 14th consecutive overtime shutout, a streak that spans back to Oct. 16, 2022.
Northwestern has now won three national titles in the past five seasons under head coach Tracey Fuchs. The 'Cats avenged their sole loss in the regular season β a 3-2 defeat to Princeton on Oct. 13 at Lakeside Field.
Northwestern drew a pair of first-quarter penalty corners, but both defenses held firm in a scoreless opening 15 minutes.Β
While the Wildcats commanded possession deep in the Princeton half, they couldn't break the first-half deadlock. Graduate student forward Grace Schulze paced the Northwestern offense with two shots in the first two quarters.Β
Boon recorded a save to preserve her first-half shutout. The Wildcats held the Tigers to a season-low one first-half shot.
Less than four minutes into the third quarter, junior forward Olivia Bent-Cole drew an NU penalty corner. Although the 'Cats had back-to-back APC opportunities, Princeton denied a would-be opener on the doorstep.
The Tigers drew their first penalty corner of the game in the 42nd minute, which Boon leapt to save away from danger. After a second Princeton penalty corner went wide, the Wildcats looked to push the tempo on a counterattack.
But on the Tigers' third penalty corner of the quarter, Beth Yeager broke the deadlock, handing Princeton a 1-0 lead with 1:31 remaining in the period. Schulze nearly directed a Sessa feed into the net in the quarter's closing seconds, but Northwestern entered the final 15 minutes trailing 1-0.
Through 45 minutes of action, the two teams recorded eight shots apiece. The Wildcats led 6-3 on corners but still vied for a breakthrough.
Janssen delivered the tying goal in the 50th minute, capitalizing off Tromp's assist to knot the score at 1-1.
Β
No. 14 delivers the equalizer ??
β Northwestern Field Hockey (@NUFHCats) November 23, 2025
Janssen posts her 2nd goal of the season for a TIE game with 10:10 to go ?
NU 1 | Princeton 1 pic.twitter.com/CDVgLCxDnn
With just 5:39 remaining, Northwestern entered a player-down scenario for two minutes. Despite being down to 10 players, the Wildcats drew their eighth penalty corner of the afternoon, forcing a save out of Princeton's Olivia Caponiti.
Northwestern earned a corner with just seven seconds left in regulation but couldn't find a last-ditch winner. For the second consecutive game, the Wildcats headed to sudden-death overtime.
Just over three minutes into overtime, Sessa turned defense into instant offense and nearly ended the championship bout on a one-on-one with Caponiti. The play proved the most threatening chance in a scoreless first overtime.
Moments after the opening passback in double overtime, Sessa drew Northwestern's 10th penalty corner of the game. At the decisive juncture, Tromp fired in the national-championship-clinching goal, propelling the Wildcats to a 2-1 victory.
Β
ILSE TROMP FOR THE NATTY ?? pic.twitter.com/FebsQAth5Y
β Northwestern Field Hockey (@NUFHCats) November 23, 2025
With the win, Northwestern became the first program to win multiple national titles as an unseeded squad since at least 1998.
Team Stats
NORTHWES
PRINCETO
Goals
2
1
Shots
16
8
Shots on Goal
10
5
Saves
4
7
Corners
10
3
Offsides
0
0
Fouls
0
0
Scoring Plays
Yeager, Beth
Assisted By: Wojcik, Lilly , Morgan, Izzy
GOAL by Princeton Yeager, Beth (FIRST GOAL), Assist by Wojcik, Lilly and Morgan, Izzy
43:29
Kate Janssen
Assisted By: Ilse Tromp
GOAL by Northwestern Kate Janssen, Assist by Ilse Tromp
49:58
Ilse Tromp
Assisted By: Ashley Sessa , Maddie Zimmer
GOAL by Northwestern Ilse Tromp, Assist by Ashley Sessa and Maddie Zimmer
70:14
Game Leaders
Shots
2
SOG
2
Goals
1
Assists
1
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
2
Goals
0
Assists
1
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Players Mentioned
F
/ Field Hockey
GK
/ Field HockeyM
/ Field Hockey
F
/ Field HockeyF
/ Field HockeyB/M
/ Field HockeyM
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