Oct. 30, 2004

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IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Despite outshooting Southwest Missouri State, 10-3, and earning a 10-1 advantage in penalty corners, Northwestern could not find the back of the cage in losing its season finale Saturday, 1-0, in a neutral site contest in Iowa City.

The Wildcats surrendered an early goal to SMS (10-6) on a penalty corner in the second minute, and spent the rest of the match fighting hard for an equalizer which did not materialize.

NU help a 7-1 advantage in shots and a 4-0 edge in penalty corners in the second half, but SMS goalkeeper Jessie Lininger made five saves to hold Northwestern scoreless.

Sophomore Meghan Small (Macungie, Pa./Moravian Academy) created the most scoring opportunities for the Wildcats, firing four of NU's 10 shots.

Northwestern finishes the regular season with a 7-12 overall record. The Wildcats end the year in a three-way tie for fifth place in the Big Ten with a 1-5 mark.

Northwestern will enter next week's Big Ten Tournament in Evanston as the No. 7 seed after the tie was broken in the third tiebreaker, goal differential. The Wildcats will face No. 2 seed Iowa at 10 a.m. Friday. NU has played the Hawkeyes twice already this season, splitting the pair of matches.