The No. 10-ranked University of Louisville field hockey team is preparing for an intense quarterfinal matchup against the second-ranked Northwestern Wildcats in the NCAA tournament. The game is set to take place on Sunday at 2 p.m. (ET) at Northwestern’s Lakeside Field. The winner of this highly-anticipated clash will advance to the NCAA semifinals scheduled for November 17th and 19th in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Louisville is coming off an impressive comeback win in the previous round against No. 8 Iowa. Despite trailing 1-0 at halftime, the Cardinals rallied back with a goal from Niamh Gowing in the third quarter to level the score. The game was eventually decided in double overtime when Minna Tremonti converted a penalty corner shot by Aimee Plumb. This victory has earned Louisville a spot in the quarterfinals, where they will face Northwestern.
This quarterfinal matchup will be a rematch of the August 27th game between Louisville and Northwestern, which saw the Cardinals emerge with a 1-0 victory over the Wildcats. In their most recent first-round game, Northwestern defeated Miami (Ohio) 3-0 to extend their winning streak to an impressive 19 games. This sets the stage for an exciting and competitive clash between these two talented teams.
In terms of historical head-to-head matchups, Louisville currently leads the series against Northwestern, with a record of 9-3. The previous meeting between the two teams on August 27th saw Emilia Kaczmarczyk’s goal secure a 1-0 victory for Louisville. Despite being outshot 21-2 by Northwestern, Louisville’s goalkeeper Merlijn van der Vegt made nine saves to keep the Wildcats at bay.
The Wildcats, who earned the Big Ten’s automatic bid after an overtime win against Maryland in the conference title game, have had a strong season so far. They placed seven players on the Big Ten All-Conference team, with Annabel Skubisz earning Goalkeeper of the Year honors. Peyton Halsey leads Northwestern with 12 goals and 10 assists, while Skubisz boasts an impressive 0.48 goals against average, the best in the nation.
As for Louisville, they enter the quarterfinals ranked No. 10 in the Penn Monto/NFHCA coaches poll. Mia Duchars was named to the All-ACC first team, while Emilia Kaczmarczyk and Julie Kouijzer were honored with second-team selections. Rylie Wollerton and Merlijn van der Vegt were also recognized for their performances, earning spots on the ACC All-Tournament Team.
The Cardinals have shown their offensive prowess throughout the season, scoring a total of 35 goals with contributions from 13 different players. Aimee Plumb, Emilia Kaczmarczyk, and Rylie Wollerton lead the team with five goals apiece. Defensively, goalkeeper Merlijn van der Vegt has been outstanding, boasting a 1.00 goals against average, which ranks second in the ACC and fifth in the nation.
Louisville’s head coach, Justine Sowry, is now in her 13th season with the team. Under her leadership, the Cardinals have achieved a 179-81 record and have made nine NCAA tournament appearances. Sowry was named ACC Coach of the Year in 2021. Fifth-year seniors Julie Kouijzer, Emilia Kaczmarczyk, and Minna Tremonti will be making their fifth straight appearance in the tournament, following their previous successful run to the NCAA semifinals in 2020.
This marks Louisville’s 12th overall NCAA tournament appearance and their fifth consecutive appearance. The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) has been well-represented in the tournament, with five teams earning a spot. North Carolina secured the overall top seed, while Duke is the No. 2 seed. Virginia, Syracuse, and Louisville round out the ACC teams that earned at-large bids.
The stage is set for an intense and thrilling quarterfinal matchup between Louisville and Northwestern. With both teams showcasing their talent and determination throughout the season, this game promises to be a battle until the final whistle. Field hockey fans can tune in to the Big Ten Network Plus for live coverage of the game, or follow along with live scoring updates.
