For Northwestern women’s soccer (3-1-2), the third time was the charm. After two frustrating draws, a 2-2 tie at Milwaukee Thursday, and a 1-1 result against Kent State at home the prior weekend, the Wildcats finally secured their first home win of the 2025 season Sunday, defeating Butler 1-0 at Martin Stadium.
“We were disappointed with the result up in Milwaukee,” head coach Michael Moynihan said. “So happy that we were able to see this one out against a really good opponent.”
NU 2-2 Milwaukee (Aug. 28): A chance-missing frustration
It looked like Northwestern
would cruise to a road win early against defending Horizon League champion Milwaukee. The ‘Cats opened the scoring just two minutes in. Liz Cardwell’s throw-in found Maddie Finnerty on the right wing, and after a quick give-and-go, Cardwell spotted teammate Alex Fallon making a vertical run. Fallon took her chance decisively, drilling a shot to the far-left corner for a 1-0 lead.
The Cats doubled their lead in the first half with one of their best goals of the season. Cardwell again played provider, threading a pass to midfielder Gabby Anderson, who needed only one touch to chip a stunning 16-yard volley over Milwaukee goalkeeper Bella Hollenbach. At 2-0, the Wildcats seemed well in control.
But just before halftime, Milwaukee clawed back. A 45-yard long ball forced NU keeper Nyamma Nelson to come off her line, and though she punched it clear, the rebound fell to Mallory McGuire, whose quick shot deflected off defender Brooke Miller and rolled into the net. Suddenly, the Panthers had life.
That momentum carried into the second half. In the 67th minute, McGuire once again helped spark the equalizer. After Kristina Karlof’s delivery down the right, McGuire slipped a pass to Ellie Rebmann, who blasted a finish just under the crossbar to make it 2-2.
NU had its chances late but couldn’t restore the lead, leaving Milwaukee with a second consecutive draw before kicking off the conference schedule. The result stung after a dominant opening half, reminiscent of the home opener draw when Kent State took NU’s lead away.
NU 1-0 Butler: Patience breaks the trap, defense seals the win
Back home against previously unbeaten Butler, the Cats faced a Bulldogs squad intent on testing their backline. The opening minutes set the tone: Butler’s Norah Jacomen weaved through pressure to earn an early corner, while the Cats answered with a counter led by Caterina Regazzoni and Anderson, though the chance was smothered by Butler’s defense.
The Bulldogs kept pressing, earning three straight corners, but Nelson and the Wildcats’ backline held firm. On the other end, Northwestern thought they had found their breakthrough multiple times, only to be stymied by offside calls.
“(The Bulldogs) were very aggressive holding the line, and our runs were just too shallow,” Moynihan said. “We weren’t shaping our runs properly.”
Seeing Butler playing in an “unusual style” with the offside-trap strategy, Moynihan adjusted the Wildcats’ formation before turning to the second half, switching from an original 4-2-3-1 to 4-3-3 to press on the Bulldogs’ half.
“That was a new formation for us this year. We haven’t played it yet,” he said.
It worked out as NU’s persistence for a breakthrough opener finally paid off shortly after halftime. Building from the back, Keira Kemmerley slipped a sharp pass through the midfield line, catching Fallon in stride down the right flank. Fallon chased down the ball after beating a Bulldog defender, crossing to Kate Hennen, who came close from the opposite wing. With Butler goalkeeper Addison Ash charging forward, Hennen resolutely bent a volley from distance into the empty net. The finish lifted NU into a 1-0 lead that they would not relinquish.
“They were really good at watching their line and stepping up when we were about to go. So we wait for a chance and be patient,” Hennen, who scored her first goal of the season, said. “I think we did a great job finding that patience and timing everything perfectly.”
Fallon nearly doubled the margin after recovering a blocked shot and turning for a strike that Ash covered, while Hayley Newman nearly caught Ash off her line minutes later but fired wide. Butler then fought back later in the game, highlighted by Ceilidh Whynott’s long-range shot in the 81st minute, but Nelson secured it with a clean catch.
From there, Northwestern’s backline did the rest, absorbing Butler’s final push and drilling long passes forward to eat away at the clock. When the whistle blew, the Wildcats were relieved, having notched their first home win of the season.
“We’re back at home, and that’s an environment that’s unbeatable,” Hennen said about the team’s motivation to finish the game strong. “We really want to come out there and bring the energy, especially with everybody watching at home and on the stands here.”
