Sunday, October 27
East Lansing, Mich.
1 PM
Michigan State University
(8-9)
0
vs
5
Northwestern
(17-0)
1
2
3
4
F
NU
0
0
3
2
5
Michigan State
0
0
0
0
0
Top-Ranked Northwestern Downs MSU in Home Finale
10/27/2024 4:13:00 PM | Field Hockey
East Lansing, Mich. - For the second straight Sunday, MSU keeper Lyra Gavino recorded a career-best 17 saves, but No. 1 Northwestern's powerful offense could only be held at bay for 30 minutes as the visiting Wildcats posted a 5-0 victory over MSU to secure the Big Ten title outright. Northwestern is now 17-0, while MSU falls to 8-9 overall on the season.
Facing 22 Northwestern attempts in the opening half, Gavino was masterful - she stopped 11 saves in the first 30 minutes keep things scoreless. Northwestern had just four penalty corners in the opening frame.
After the intermission, the top-ranked Wildcats put three goals on the board in the third quarter. The first came on a redirect from Regan Cornelius on a corner play at 32:23, and at 39:40 Elaine Velthuizen tipped a shot from Cornelius that sailed over the outreached glove hand of a leaping Gavino. With just 14 seconds remaining in the period, the Wildcats tacked on a third on a backhand laser by leading scorer Ashley Sessa.
The Wildcats scored a pair of goals off corner plays less than a minute apart in the fourth quarter to inflate their lead to 5-0. Eight of Northwestern's 12 corner attempts came in the second half, and NU converted both corners awarded in the final frame. With just over 10 minutes remaining in the game, Maddie Zimmer made it 4-0, and another corner goal came from Ilsa Tromp less than a minute later.
Gavino recorded her third double-digit save effort of the season. She made 11 first-half saves and finished the game with 17. She originally set her career best with 17 last Sunday against Penn State, and previously had 10 in a non-conference game against Miami.
Sessa, the Big Ten's leading scorer, finished with a goal and two assists while Cornelius and Zimmer each had three-point efforts with a goal and an assist. Keeper Annabel Skubisz made two saves in the shutout. NU had 43 shot attempts on the day and 12 corners.
MSU has one regular-season game remaining, next Friday on the road at Indiana.
Facing 22 Northwestern attempts in the opening half, Gavino was masterful - she stopped 11 saves in the first 30 minutes keep things scoreless. Northwestern had just four penalty corners in the opening frame.
After the intermission, the top-ranked Wildcats put three goals on the board in the third quarter. The first came on a redirect from Regan Cornelius on a corner play at 32:23, and at 39:40 Elaine Velthuizen tipped a shot from Cornelius that sailed over the outreached glove hand of a leaping Gavino. With just 14 seconds remaining in the period, the Wildcats tacked on a third on a backhand laser by leading scorer Ashley Sessa.
The Wildcats scored a pair of goals off corner plays less than a minute apart in the fourth quarter to inflate their lead to 5-0. Eight of Northwestern's 12 corner attempts came in the second half, and NU converted both corners awarded in the final frame. With just over 10 minutes remaining in the game, Maddie Zimmer made it 4-0, and another corner goal came from Ilsa Tromp less than a minute later.
Gavino recorded her third double-digit save effort of the season. She made 11 first-half saves and finished the game with 17. She originally set her career best with 17 last Sunday against Penn State, and previously had 10 in a non-conference game against Miami.
Sessa, the Big Ten's leading scorer, finished with a goal and two assists while Cornelius and Zimmer each had three-point efforts with a goal and an assist. Keeper Annabel Skubisz made two saves in the shutout. NU had 43 shot attempts on the day and 12 corners.
MSU has one regular-season game remaining, next Friday on the road at Indiana.
Team Stats
NU
MSU
Goals
5
0
Shots
43
4
Shots on Goal
22
2
Saves
2
17
Corners
12
1
Offsides
0
0
Fouls
0
0
Scoring Plays
Regan Cornelius (1)
Penalty corner redirection in front of t
32:23
Elaine Velthuizen (1)
Assisted By: Regan Cornelius
Tipped high over keeper
39:40
Ashley Sessa (18)
dribbled in around defender
44:46
Maddie Zimmer (7)
Assisted By: Lauren Hunter , Ashley Sessa
Off a corner play
49:39
Ilse Tromp (7)
Assisted By: Maddie Zimmer , Ashley Sessa
Off a penalty corner
50:29
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
GK
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