Northwestern women’s soccer could hardly have asked for a better start to its 2025 campaign. The Wildcats (2-0-0) capped the opening week with two shutout wins. This marks their first time winning the first two fixtures since 2018, blanking Loyola Chicago 2-0 and Illinois State 1-0 on the road.
Behind the early emergence of first-year goalkeeper Nyamma Nelson and timely finishes from both new and returning attacking pieces, the ‘Cats showed both their offensive depth and defensive solidity at the beginning
of the season.
Northwestern 2, Loyola Chicago 0 (Aug. 14)
Facing Loyola Chicago for the first time since 2011, Northwestern dictated play for much of the night and found a breakthrough just before halftime. Captain Kelsey Kwon energized the attack with a pair of threatening efforts, including a swerving corner kick that forced Loyola’s goalkeeper Allison Deardorff off her line.
The ‘Cats struck in the 41st minute. First-year midfielder Selma Sol Sigurjonsdottir whipped a ball into the box that found sophomore Mary Stroebel at the back post. Stroebel rose above her mark and directed a header into the net for her first career goal, putting NU ahead 1-0.
The Ramblers’ best look of the night came shortly after halftime, when a free kick delivery fell to Maggie Schmidt inside the box. Schmidt turned and fired a quick strike, but Nelson reacted calmly to smother the attempt, one of her three saves in a composed debut.
NU then doubled the lead in the 86th minute, when midfielder Alex Fallon linked up with another first-year Liz Cardwell on the left flank before slipping a pass to Kennedy Roesch. The sophomore forward, and Northwestern’s leading scorer last season, slotted home with ease to make it 2-0 and seal the result.
The 2-0 win gave Nelson the program’s first-ever clean sheet by a first-year goalkeeper in their debut.
Northwestern 1, Illinois State 0 (Aug. 17)
The back-to-back road game against Illinois State on Sunday carried a different tone. With kickoff delayed until the evening due to extreme heat, the ‘Cats again controlled possession early but struggled to finish their chances.
Northwestern was eager to grab the opener inside five minutes, when Caterina Regazzoni fired a 20-yard free kick just over the bar after Fallon was fouled outside the box. ISU nearly punished the misses minutes later as its forward Erika Wells broke in alone, only for Nelson to come off her line to block the shot. The rebound fell to her teammate, Eve Gricius, at the top of the box, but Nelson corralled her follow-up shot as well.
The ‘Cats continued to apply pressure throughout the first half. Roesch spun her way into space in the 28th minute but unleashed the ball wide, and Sarah O’Donnell couldn’t connect cleanly on a volley after a strong run down the left from Cardwell. Multiple corners from Roesch created chaos in the box, but the ‘Cats never quite found a final touch.
The match remained scoreless at halftime, but NU eventually broke the silence as the second half kicked off. In the 48th minute, Regazzoni, who had been active throughout, collected the ball just outside the box and struck forward. The ball deflected through traffic and nestled inside the left post, giving Northwestern a 1-0 lead.
The ‘Cats missed plenty of chances in the rest of the second half. Fallon combined with Roesch for a one-two in the box, only to be denied by Redbirds goalkeeper Madi Valenti. Roesch’s rebound attempt also went wide, and NU came up empty on the ensuing corner.
Illinois State responded with urgency, fighting back some possessions and pushing forward later in the second half. But Nelson remained steady in her territory, repeatedly coming off her line to claim dangerous balls while the back line cleared away second chances. In the final 15 minutes, both teams traded possession in a physical battle, but Northwestern’s defense held firm until the final whistle.
Looking ahead
With two shutouts in the opening week, NU faces its first major challenge of the season on Thursday, August 21, as it takes on Duke, one of the 2024 NCAA College Cup semifinalists. This represents a notable rise in competition and serves as an early benchmark for the ‘Cats to evaluate their progress.
