PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Northwestern’s comeback bid fell just short as Rutgers edged the Wildcats, 3-2, at Yurcak Field.
RU (4-5-3, 3-4-0 Big Ten) jumped out to an early lead, scoring goals in the 19th and 26th minutes to take a 2-0 lead into halftime. Redshirt junior midfielder Gabriela Gil tallied the opener for the Scarlet Knights and redshirt junior midfielder Morgan Hippeli added the second.
Northwestern (5-6-3, 3-3-1 Big Ten) got on the board in the 51st minute on first-year defender/midfielder Gwen Zimmerman’s first career goal. After the ‘Cats earned a free kick deep in the attacking third, senior forward lofted a delivery toward the back post, where Zimmerman was rising to meet it. The Palatine, Ill., native coolly headed the ball past the RU keeper for NU’s first goal. Norkett’s assist is her third of the season and the eighth of her career.Â
Gwen Zimmerman grabs her first career goal! 🙌 https://t.co/9skiUYKN1k
— Northwestern Soccer (@NUWSoccer) October 9, 2026
The hosts responded quickly, striking just over a minute after Zimmerman’s goal to re-extend the lead to 3-1.
First-year forward Camryn Freeman netted her third goal in as many games in the 71st minute. Senior midfielder Holland Carey played ahead to junior forward Alex Fallon. Fallon crossed into the box, where Freeman was waiting to direct the ball into the side netting to trim the deficit to one. Fallon’s assist marks her second on the year and seventh in her time at Northwestern.
Camryn Freeman nets her third goal of the season! https://t.co/yJ4krToCqm
— Northwestern Soccer (@NUWSoccer) October 9, 2026
The ‘Cats continued to apply pressure, coming inches away from tying the game in the 81st minute, when sophomore defender Gabby Anderson’s chip of the goalkeeper was cleared off the line by RU sophomore defender Lindsey Hailey.
The contest marked the first time two Wildcat first-years tallied goals in the same contest since Oct. 17, 2024, when Alex Fallon and Kennedy Roesch notched goals in a 3-0 win at Michigan.
Sophomore goalkeeper Nyamma Nelson collected a career-high nine saves in the contest. Nelson’s nine saves are the most by a Wildcat goalkeeper since Mackenzie Wood’s 10 saves at Harvard on Sep. 8, 2019.
The Wildcats will continue their East Coast road trip on Sunday at Maryland. Kickoff from Ludwig Field is slated for 11 a.m. CT on B1G+.