As USC found its rhythm in the second half and frustrated Northwestern with multiple offside traps, it appeared the ‘Cats wouldn’t break through in regulation until Lily Biddulph’s costly mistake at 85’
in the backcourt, which gave NU a golden opportunity for the final push. Cats winger Megan Norkett became the savior of the night, converting a beacon of hope into the only goal of the night.
Despite being caught offside seven times and outshot 17-12, No. 7 seed Northwestern (9-3-7, 4-2-5 Big Ten) surpassed No.10 USC (7-7-3, 4-5-2 Big Ten) in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament in West Lafayette, Ind.
Northwestern opened the match without leading scorer Kennedy Roesch in the starting lineup due to injury, but still showed offensive prose from the opening whistle. In the seventh minute, Liz Cardwell — returning as a starter for the first time since Sept. 28 (vs. Penn State) — created the first threat of the match on the right edge of the penalty area. Though her shot was blocked, Caterina Regazzoni followed up with an effort that rolled just wide.
Norkett set the tone early with her dribbling ability, beating two USC defenders before threading a through ball that Cardwell nearly reached. While the ‘Cats didn’t dominate possession, they consistently looked more dangerous with the ball in their possession.
Led by Norkett, the left flank became Northwestern’s primary avenue of attack. In the 16th minute, Kelsey Kwon won possession in USC’s half and quickly dished to Norkett, who drove forward and delivered a cross that Trojans goalkeeper Phoebe Carver corralled.
Four minutes later, the ‘Cats crafted another promising sequence. After winning the ball back, Northwestern slowed the tempo to reset rather than forcing a quick counter. Maddie Finnerty launched a long pass from right back to Kate Henen with space ahead. Henen’s subsequent cross was cleared by a defender, but Keira Kemmerley recovered possession and unleashed a 20-yard strike that Carver saved.
Regazzoni threatened again in the 25th minute from a free kick, curling a shot that sailed just wide left of the goal — Northwestern’s fourth shot of the half, while USC had yet to register one.
The ‘Cats maintained defensive discipline throughout the remainder of the first half as USC increased possession. Northwestern didn’t allow the Trojans a shot despite conceding their first corner of the match, and the ‘Cats nearly caught USC on a long-ball counter, though it was ruled offside.
USC found its offensive rhythm after halftime, forcing Northwestern into a more passive posture. In the 54th minute, Edra Bello fired from the right, and the ‘Cats keeper Nyamma Nelson deflected it away. On the ensuing corner, chaos erupted in Northwestern’s box when Nelson couldn’t fully control the cross. The ball spilled from her gloves, and Ines Derrien’s follow-up struck the crossbar, giving the Wildcats a second chance.
Northwestern struggled to break down USC’s organized backline, which effectively deployed an offside trap. With 15 minutes remaining, the ‘Cats had been flagged offside six times, stifling their attacking rhythm.
Nelson continued to protect Northwestern’s clean sheet. When Flores weaved through traffic and fired from the left post under pressure, Nelson cancelled out her progressive effort with a save, and the Trojans couldn’t capitalize on the rebound.
The ‘Cats nearly broke through in the 77th minute after a USC defensive mistake. Regazzoni pounced on the loose ball and charged toward the goal. She was able to beat a defender with a clever feint, but her following curling shot was collected by Carver.
But momentum had been building. And in the 85th minute, Northwestern’s breakthrough finally came when Biddulph attempted a long pass that her teammate couldn’t reach. Spotting the Trojans’ sloppy mistake, Norkett pressed aggressively, won the ball and skipped past a defender with one touch. She surged down the box before rocketing the ball into the right side of the net.
The ‘Cats locked down defensively in the final minutes to preserve the victory in a thrilling win for the purple and white. Despite a very back-and-forth affair, Norkett’s late game-winner would prove to be the one and only thing the Wildcats would need to stay alive and move on in the conference tournament.
Northwestern will face No.2 Michigan State in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament, looking to continue its underdog run on Sunday afternoon.
