Northwestern field hockey begins its 2025 championship weekend with a semi-finals match against No. 1 North Carolina, and if it wins that, a showdown with either No. 2 Princeton or No. 3 Harvard in the NCAA title game. Here’s now the Inside NU staff thinks the ‘Cats will fare.
Yanyan: Lose to North Carolina in the semifinals
Look, I know I said in our pre-NCAA Tournament roundtable that Northwestern was going to win it all, but realistically, it will be a massive uphill climb. Despite the close scores
of both title games that they played against each other, the Tar Heels controlled both games while the ‘Cats held them at bay because of their strong defense. In addition to the star power that UNC has in the form of players like Ryleigh Heck and Charly Bruder, it is also a battle-tested team with the most resume wins out of any team in the country — something that will pay off in the postseason, while the ‘Cats have had a relatively weak strength of schedule in comparison. Northwestern played a very close game against Miami in the Elite Eight, but it will need to be better against much stronger competition.
Now, do I have a history of picking against my wishes to ensure I don’t “jinx” things? Absolutely. But I still think all of my arguments have merit.
Matt: Beat Princeton in National Championship
Of any team in Durham, Northwestern is the most versatile offense. No other squad in the Final Four has two attackers, a midfielder, and two backs that can score at any given moment – especially out of set pieces on penalty corners. The ‘Cats have too many weapons for any team in the country to stop – something I’ve emphasized all season. All three remaining teams have great defenses, but so does Duke and Boston College, and Northwestern put on offensive clinics against those programs in the regular season. Despite their low seeding, it’s hard for me to expect anything but a clean sweep this weekend for the ‘Cats.
Pierson: Lose to North Carolina in the semifinals
I hope I’m wrong, as nothing would be cooler than a repeat in grand fashion, but the odds are stacked against the ‘Cats here. It should stack up to be a very tight game, but unlike Miami (OH) who really relied on their stars (and literally scored two on three shots on goal), this UNC team is DEEP. Erin Matson runs a tight ship and has picked up right where Karen Shelton left off 3 years ago, where she left off as a player too. That will show in front of a huge crowd AT HOME, and for the first time ever in Durham. UNC is 11-1 in championship rounds played in the Old North State, and thus even better in semi-finals. The Wildcats will have to slice and dice the best defense left in the tournament (0.99 GAA), and since they rely so heavily on their headlining talent, UNC will be able to focus their energy to double team them. This Tar Heels team has just as much championship pedigree as this NU team, but have 10 wins over top-15 opponents and were able to beat Princeton. I unfortunately think they’ll do it again by beating Princeton in the finals, at the expense of Northwestern today.
Calvin: Lose to North Carolina in the semifinals
The ‘Cats have a legitimate chance to win their second straight national title, but unfortunately for them, they’ll have to take on the consensus best team in the country before reaching the championship game itself. In my eyes, the winner of UNC-Northwestern will most likely become the national champion. Fans should expect a hard-fought battle from start to finish, but ultimately, I see the Tar Heels pulling this one out. UNC is one of the few teams with both the star power and coaching prowess to rival Northwestern, and the gameplan for success against the ‘Cats was already demonstrated this season by Princeton in the Tigers’ 3-2 victory. North Carolina is looking for revenge, and ultimately, I view the Tar Heels as a slightly deeper team that is less reliant on its top stars. That should give UNC just the edge it needs, allowing it to key on Maddie Zimmer and limit the Wildcats just enough to take down the defending champs.
Brendan: Beat Princeton in the National Championship
Did you really expect anything different? I am a massive fan of the stories of sports, and this weekend has some incredibly juicy options. Ashley Sessa playing against her old team? Check. The 2023 and 2024 national champions going head-to-head for the right to play for 2025’s? Check. I’m genuinely upset that I’m not in North Carolina this weekend, because I think this could be one of the best field hockey games of the decade. Ultimately, I’m rolling with the Wildcats because they’re hungrier (despite having a more recent national title). Northwestern hasn’t beaten UNC since 2021, has the “unseeded” scarlet letter serving as a spur onwards, and is still trying to prove that loss to Princeton was a fluke. Also, Sessa is in purple instead of powder blue, as is Big Ten Player of the Year Maddie Zimmer.
And speaking of Princeton…man oh man, Grace Schulze must be so conflicted right now. A squad she captained is two wins away from a national championship, and she could be the one to prevent it. Like I said – juicy stories this weekend. I think the rematch of the October 13 shocker at Lakeside Field comes down to the same thing the first matchup did – penalty corners. The ‘Cats went 1-for-10 on those opportunities in that home loss. Thus far in the NCAA Tournament, Northwestern is 2-for-11. If you believe that Zimmer, Sessa and the rest of this attack aren’t going to execute at the highest possible level on the biggest possible stage, that’s fine. Just know that your belief is wrong. I said in the preseason preview that the expectation is to “Bring all the trophies back to Evanston”. The ‘Cats are two wins away from doing just that.
