Nov. 2, 2007

Box Score |  Action Photos 

2007 Big Ten Tournament Bracket

EVANSTON, Ill. -- On a night where Northwestern played its first game under the lights at the new Lakeside Field, the Wildcats defeated Wisconsin to close the regular season, 3-0. NU honored its eight seniors before the game and two of them scored goals. Seniors Shannon Schneeman (St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall) and Kelsey Hans (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville) each scored their ninth goals of the year.

With the win, Northwestern closes the regular season 9-6-4, 4-4-2 in the Big Ten. Wisconsin ends its season at 6-11-1, 2-8-0. The win gives Northwestern the No. 7 seed in the Big Ten Tournament. The 'Cats face second-seeded Purdue at 5 p.m. Thursday in the first round.

The shutout gives NU nine on the season. Offensively, the Wildcats have out scored their last four opponents by a combined score of 10-1. NU finished the second half of its Big Ten season with a 3-1-1 record.

Although Northwestern kept the ball in the Wisconsin half in the opening stages of the match, Wisconsin was the team picking up the shot opportunities. However, NU picked up three corner kicks in the first 15 minutes of the contest.

After going offsides at 30:52, NU regrouped and got on the board at 31:50 on Schneeman's ninth goal of the season. The play started on the foot of junior Laura Janowitsch (Grafton, Wis./Grafton) and after going through sophomore Alicia Herczeg (Agoura Hills, Calif./Agoura), found the foot of Schneeman who put home her career-high ninth tally of the year. Five of Schneeman's goals have been game-winners.

Northwestern needed just over 10 minutes to add some insurance, but this time, the goal came off the foot of a freshman. Sam Greene (Santa Monica, Calif./Santa Monica), who has given the Wildcats a valuable boost off the bench, found some space near the goal off a pass by Schneeman and put home her third goal of the year.

NU took a 2-0 lead into halftime, but came out firing in the second frame. The Wildcats didn't even need 10 minutes to take a 3-0 lead over the Badgers. After Jenny Dunn's (Pacific Palisades, Calif./Louisville) attempt missed the mark, the ball found the foot of Hans who buried her ninth of the year. Hans and Schneeman have exchanged leads for the team lead in goals several times during the later stages of the season.

NU's best chance for a fourth goal came from another senior in Caitlin Carr (Cordova, Tenn./St. Mary's) as she had a point-blank attempt stopped by the Badger keeper.

The senior festivities continued at 77:20 when fifth-year senior Leslie Gittings (State College, Pa./State College Area) replaced Lauren Johnston (Denver, Colo./Denver East) between the pipes. Gittings played the last 12:40 of the contest and registered one save. Gittings had only played 39 minutes in net before Friday evening. Another senior, Danielle Iordanou (Upper Brookeville, N.Y./Our Lady of Mercy) also saw significant minutes off the bench on Senior Night.

Before the game, Northwestern honored its eight seniors and seven saw action in the game. Schneeman, Hans, Johnston, Carr, Gittings, Iordanou, Kelly Sitkowski (Elk Grove Village, Ill./Conant), and Stephanie Krutsch (Bloomington, Minn./Academy of Holy Angels) were all honored before the game.

Northwestern took 16 shots for the game and forced five Badger saves. The Wildcats also registered seven corners. Wildcat goalkeepers needed to make only three saves for the contest.

The Wildcats return to action Thursday in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament at 5 p.m. Thursday against second-seeded Purdue in Minneapolis, Minn.