Aug. 25, 2001

Stats

EVANSTON, Ill. - The Northwestern field hockey team dropped its season opener, 2-1, to Central Michigan Saturday afternoon on an overcast day at Lakeside Field.

With rain threatening throughout the contest, the `Cats jumped out to an early lead. Nicole Smith (Warnbro, Australia/Como Senior) teamed up with Lindsey Millard (St. Louis, Mo./St. Louis Country Day) and Suzi Sutton (York, Pa./Dallastown) to capitalize on a penalty corner and give NU a 1-0 lead. NU had eight penalty corners compared to three for the Chippewas. Smith's goal came with 11:26 left in the first half.

Central Michigan came storming back with a late first-half surge and tied the game when Melissa Lazarevski scored on a breakaway with 2:06 left in the first stanza. Then, with just 7:11 gone in the second half, Krystal Yee took a pass from Meg Lewis and fired it into the NU goal to give CMU the lead. That's all the Chippewas would need as NU managed just five shots on goal for the contest.

The Wildcats are next in action on Monday, August 27, at 1 p.m. when they take on Southwest Missouri State at Lakeside Field.

Scoring:
NU Nicole Smith (Lindsey Millard, Suzi Sutton 11:26, 1st)
CMU Melissa Lazarevski (unassisted, 2:06, 1st)
CMU Krystal Yee (Meg Lewis 27:49, 2nd)

Shots on goal:
NU 5, CMU 3

Penalty Corners:
NU 8, CMU 3

Cards Issued:
None

Goalie Saves
NU -- Kendra Mesa, 1
CMU -- Janel Spero, 4

Updated Records
Northwestern, 0-1-0, 0-0-0 Big Ten
Central Michigan, 1-0-0, 0-0-0 Mid-American

Northwestern's Next Match
Monday, Aug. 27 vs. Southwest Missouri State (Evanston, Ill.), 1 p.m.