No. 15 Rutgers field hockey lost to No. 1 Northwestern on Friday at the Bauer Track and Field Hockey Complex, as the Wildcats secured a 5-0 win in front of 678 spectators. The match marked the start of Rutgers’ R NIL Homecoming Weekend.
Northwestern, the defending national champions, improved their season record to 12-1 and remain undefeated in conference play at 4-0. The Wildcats have now won 56 of their last 60 games over three seasons. Rutgers’ record moves to 8-6 overall and 3-2 in conference games.
Ashley Sessa, Northwestern’s leading scorer and All-American, scored three goals, bringing her season total to 11. Maja Zivojnovic and Grace Shulze also added goals for Northwestern.
Rutgers goalkeeper Emily Nicholls made six saves during the game, maintaining her lead in conference saves with a season total of 83. Northwestern outshot Rutgers 17-12, with an 11-4 advantage in shots on goal, and led in penalty corners by a margin of 6-5.
Northwestern scored their first goal late in the opening quarter and added a second just before halftime, entering the break with a 2-0 lead. The visitors scored once in the third quarter and twice more in the fourth.
Rutgers will host No. 11 Iowa on Sunday, with the event featuring Letterwinners Day and Senior Day celebrations. More than 30 former letterwinners are expected to attend, participating in pregame activities such as a tailgate, a gameday reception, and joining current players for a pregame walkout and halftime recognition. After the game, seven seniors—Natalie Arnold, Dani Gindville, Puck Winter, Ashley Arnold, Erica Babitts, Paulina Niklaus, and Vicky Jure—will be honored.
Both matches this weekend are part of Rutgers’ Homecoming Weekend events. The athletics department is using the occasion to promote student-athlete opportunities related to Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) through various activities across all Homecoming Weekend events.
