No tricks, all treats.
Behind a Halloween masterclass from junior forward Ashley Sessa, No. 2 Northwestern field hockey closed out its regular season Friday with a dominant 5–0 win over Michigan State, capping off a perfect 8-0 Big Ten slate and improving to 16-1 overall.
Sessa delivered one of the most prolific performances in program history, becoming the fifth ever Wildcat to score four goals as Northwestern overwhelmed the Spartans on both ends. Sophomore Kate Janssen added her first goal in purple,
and goalkeeper Juliana Boon notched her 11th shutout of the season in another wire-to-wire performance.
After a quiet first quarter in which both teams struggled to generate clear chances, Northwestern’s offense clicked in the second. Midfielder Aerin Krys fired a shot across the circle that Sessa redirected past Michigan State goalkeeper Lyra Gavino to open the scoring. It was Sessa’s 15th goal of the season and the breakthrough Northwestern had been waiting for.
Just six minutes later, the Wildcats struck again. Off their fifth penalty corner of the half, Maja Zivojnovic sent a crisp insert to Sessa, who tipped it into the cage for her second of the day. The goal gave Northwestern a 2-0 lead heading into halftime, while the defense held Michigan State without a single shot through 30 minutes of play.
The onslaught continued early in the third quarter when Maddie Zimmer’s penalty corner shot was saved, but Janssen pounced on the rebound for her first goal as a Wildcat. The score made it 3-0 and marked Northwestern’s 11th different goal-scorer this season.
Sessa completed her hat trick midway through the fourth quarter on a setup from Laura Salamanca, extending the lead to four for the Wildcats.
Michigan State would finally take its first shot on a penalty corner at the 46:50 mark, but it was saved commandingly by Juliana Boon.
Sessa then converted a penalty stroke just minutes later to make it 5-0. The performance increased her season goal-tally to 18 and netted her 51st point, placing her just behind Iowa’s Dionne van Aalsum for the Big Ten scoring and points’ lead.
Goalkeeper Juliana Boon faced only two shots and saved the lone one on target to preserve her 11th shutout. Northwestern outshot Michigan State 23-2 and earned 10 penalty corners, while the Spartans managed just two. Gavino, the Big Ten’s leader in saves per game, recorded 10 saves in a valiant effort to keep the score respectable.
The win extended Northwestern’s dominance over Michigan State to 14 straight victories and secured the program’s 29th consecutive Big Ten regular-season win, a streak dating back to 2022. It also completed the Wildcats’ third straight undefeated conference season, a testament to their consistency and depth.
Despite being ranked No. 2 nationally, Northwestern sits fifth in RPI, meaning the team likely needs to win out to secure hosting rights for an NCAA Regional in Evanston. With the Big Ten slipping behind the ACC and Ivy League in conference RPI strength, the margin for error is razor-thin.
With those postseason stakes looming, Northwestern will turn its focus to the Big Ten Tournament in Bloomington, Indiana. As the top seed, the Wildcats receive a first-round bye and will face the winner of Rutgers vs. Michigan in Friday’s semifinal. A likely rematch with Iowa or Maryland looms in the title game, barring a surprise run from conference .500 Rutgers or hosts Indiana.
After last season’s championship loss to Michigan, the ‘Cats will be determined not to let history repeat itself. The team will then look to avenge its loss in the 2024 Big Ten title game and make one final push for the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Anything less puts them at a potential disadvantage, especially if it costs them a home-regional. To be fair though, Northwestern IS undefeated away this season, and have shown increased tenacity when not at Lakeside Field.
Either way, Northwestern’s regular season ends with plenty of style. Sessa’s four-goal showcase was just the exclamation point on a campaign defined by control, consistency, and championship expectations. And in the wake of a World Series repeat for the Dodgers, the ‘Cats field hockey team will look to follow suit and do the same.
