Offense Breaks Out In 4-0 Win Over Spartans; NU Notches Fourth Shutout In Last Five Games
Oct. 21, 2007
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- After more than two games without a goal, Northwestern's offense broke out in a 4-0 win over Michigan State Sunday at Old College Field. Sophomore Alicia Herczeg (Agoura Hills, Calif./Agoura) notched the game-winner with her third goal of the year in the 11th minute. All three NU starting forwards notched goals in the contest as Jenny Dunn (Pacific Palisades, Calif./Louisville) and Kelsey Hans (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville) recorded goals for the Wildcats. Sam Greene (Santa Monica, Calif./Santa Monica), who had NU's best goal-scoring chances on Friday against Michigan, notched her second goal of the year as NU set its season-high for goals with four. Defensively, Northwestern registered its third-straight shutout and blanked its opponent for the fourth time in its last five games. With the win, Northwestern improves to 7-5-4, 2-3-2 in the Big Ten. Michigan State falls to 6-9-1, 1-7 in conference. Michigan State opened with two early scoring chances in the first five minutes, but missed the target on two point-blank shots. The Spartans would have several scoring opportunities, but goalkeeper Lauren Johnston (Denver, Colo./Denver East) and the Wildcat backline kept MSU off the board.
However, after surviving the Spartan barrage in the early stages of the first half, Northwestern would get on the board first with a goal at 10:07 by Herczeg. The play was set up by Shannon Schneeman (St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall), who found some space just past midfield.
The senior dished off to fellow senior Kelly Sitkowski (Elk Grove Village, Ill./Conant). Sitkowski just put a serve in the Spartan goalbox that found the foot of Herczeg who only needed to tap the ball into the Spartan cage to give NU a 1-0 lead. The goal broke a 271:18 scoreless drought for the Wildcats and was Herczeg's third goal of the season. The assists were Sitkowski's and Schneeman's first of the year. Northwestern proved the old saying that, "goals come in bunches" as the Wildcats took a 2-0 lead one minute and 12 seconds later at 11:19. Dunn took possession at midfield and proceeded to take the ball all the way to pay dirt for her second goal of the season. Michigan State hit the inside post with a shot in the closing minutes, but NU kept the 2-0 lead heading into halftime. After Johnston took her second knock in as many games, freshman Carolyn Edwards (Lincolnshire, Ill./Stevenson) came in to replace the senior between the pipes. Edwards made a diving stop on the first threat she faced since coming into the game and Northwestern gave its two goalkeepers a three-goal cushion with Hans' seventh goal of the year at 51:57. Freshman Jennifer Baumann (Waukesha, Wis./Catholic Memorial) pushed the ball ahead at midfield and Hans went untouched to the MSU keeper. After putting the ball in the back of the net, Hans tied Schneeman for the team lead in goals with seven. Hans also has a team-leading 18 points on the year. Greene scored her second goal of the season to give NU a 4-0 lead. Her tally was assisted by Herczeg and junior Laura Janowitsch (Grafton, Wis./Grafton) at 84:16. Northwestern returns to action at 3 p.m. Friday against Minnesota at the Lakeside Field. Please Note the change from the original game time of 4 p.m. |
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