Northwestern Takes Down No. 11 Indiana 4-1 in Bloomington

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The No. 1 Northwestern field hockey team is back in the win column, taking down No. 11 Indiana 4-1 at Deborah Tobias Field on Friday. After being tied 1-1 in the second quarter, the ‘Cats went on a 3-0 run to claim the ranked conference win in dominant fashion.

The Wildcats (14-1, 5-0 Big Ten) snapped the Hoosiers’ (9-4, 4-1 Big Ten) four-game win streak, as well as their perfect record at home and in Big Ten play this season. After Indiana had allowed just six goals prior to Friday, Northwestern scored more than half that total against it on Friday alone, as the team grabbed its 11th consecutive win against the Hoosiers.

Northwestern senior back Ilse Tromp led the way with two goals, while senior forward Ashley Sessa and first-year forward Raquel Hofmeister both contributed one apiece in the scoring column. In a battle between the nation’s save percentage leaders, NU goalkeeper Juliana Boon tallied three saves on one goal allowed compared to Indiana goalie Sadie Canelli’s three saves and four goals allowed.

Northwestern and Indiana exchanged just a shot apiece in the first 13 minutes of action. But with two minutes left to go in the first quarter, the Wildcats turned to Tromp’s dragflick shot on their opening penalty corner of the day to score first.

The goal was Tromp’s 10th of the season, as well as the first goal that the Hoosiers gave up in Bloomington this season. 

Indiana responded quickly in the second quarter, courtesy of Mintje Hagen just over a minute in. Hagen brought the ball into the circle and struck it into the net, tying the game up 1-1. In the 26th minute, Northwestern reclaimed the lead with another Tromp dragflick goal on a corner after a no-look pass from Laura Salamanca.

The score remained at 2-1 for the rest of the second quarter, as the two teams went back-and-forth to generate chances, but didn’t convert. Though the Wildcats were leading and maintained possession for much of the second quarter, the Hoosiers outshot the Wildcats 7-3 at halftime, which included a 5-2 differential in the second quarter. Meanwhile, NU had three corners compared to Indiana’s one. 

Sessa, Northwestern’s leading scorer, kicked off scoring in the third quarter — after receiving the ball from Olivia Bent-Cole in the 33rd minute, the senior hit a reverse shot past Indiana goalkeeper Sadie Canelli into the bottom right corner of the net.

The ‘Cats’ lead extended to three in the 42nd minute. On a penalty corner attempt, Canelli warded off shots from Sessa and Salamanca, before Hofmeister tipped the ball in for her third goal of the season.

In the same period where NU scored two goals, Indiana did not take a single shot. Northwestern then proceeded to hold the Hoosiers to just one shot in the fourth quarter, maintaining control of the game for a 4-1 win. In total, the Wildcats outshot the Hoosiers 12-8, and 8-1 in the second half.

The ‘Cats will play next on Thursday, Oct. 22, in a 7 p.m. showing against No. 1 Maryland at Lakeside Field. The Terrapins are the only remaining undefeated team in Division I field hockey this season, and overtook the ‘Cats for the top spot in the National Field Hockey Coaches’ Association Poll on Tuesday.