‘Cats Score Season-High Seven Goals, Blank Buckeyes on Senior Day

Sunday, October 26

Evanston, Ill.

12 p.m. CT

Northwestern

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Ohio State

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Ohio State

Northwestern

Photo by: Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics

Photo by: Northwestern Athletics

Photo by: Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics

Photo by: Northwestern Athletics

Photo by: Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics

‘Cats Score Season-High Seven Goals, Blank Buckeyes on Senior Day

10/26/2025 5:34:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Jake Epstein, NUSports.com

EVANSTON, Ill. — Two days after No. 2 Northwestern field hockey secured its third consecutive Big Ten regular-season title, the squad returned to Lakeside Field with a dominant 7-0 win over No. 18 Ohio State.

"We put it together today," head coach Tracey Fuchs said. "We've had games where we've outshot and outcornered. Our corner was on and they just fell for us today. I couldn't be happier."

Behind two goals apiece from junior forwards Ashley Sessa and Olivia Bent-Cole, the Wildcats (15-1, 7-0 Big Ten) earned an emphatic victory against the Buckeyes (7-8, 3-4 Big Ten) in their penultimate regular-season conference clash.

Graduate student forward Grace Schulze, senior back Maja Zivojnovic and redshirt junior forward Aerin Krys, each honored on Sunday for Senior Day, added tallies in Northwestern's victory. It was NU's most prolific scoring performance since Oct. 20, 2024, against UC Davis. The hosts outshot Ohio State 27-4 in the winning effort.

Thank you, Seniors! ??@NUFHCats wouldn't be the same without you. pic.twitter.com/ZVguCprhFQ
— Northwestern Field Hockey (@NUFHCats) October 26, 2025

Redshirt first-year goalkeeper Juliana Boon and redshirt sophomore Faye Post combined for the Wildcats' 10th shutout of the 2025 campaign.

Before the contest's commencement, Northwestern honored its sixth seniors and graduate students in Senior Day proceedings. Bent-Cole said she considered it more of a "Family Day" given the team's close-knit bond.

"We are such a family," Bent-Cole said. "We had so much fun in the locker room doing our Senior Day stuff we do every year. That built up the energy to get out here and play our best hockey."

A dominant 7-0 win for the 'Cats on Senior Day ??@NUFHCats posts a season-high 7?? goals ?? pic.twitter.com/MqbeVWIxYa
— Big Ten Field Hockey (@B1GFieldHockey) October 26, 2025

Northwestern forced two early saves before earning the game's first penalty corner just over five minutes in. While Ohio State fended off the hosts' first high-percentage look, the Wildcats found the opener on their second penalty corner with 4:08 left in the first quarter.

Schulze, who played in the insert pass, made a backdoor cut and buried junior back Ilse Tromp's feed to capture a 1-0 lead.

In the quarter's waning moments, Sessa took control of a pass off the goalkeeper to fire home her 13th goal of the season, extending Northwestern's lead to 2-0. The goal gave the junior her 107th career point with the Wildcats, giving her sole possession of 10th place on the program's all-time career leaderboard.

Although both teams combined for six penalty corners in the second quarter, defenses reigned supreme throughout the period. After accumulating a 12-3 shot advantage in the opening 30 minutes of action, NU led 2-0. Boon collected one first-half save to preserve the shutout.

Following the break, the 'Cats recharged their scoring touch. With just under 12 minutes to play in the third quarter, Bent-Cole slid to strike a Schulze feed into the cage and stretch Northwestern's advantage to 3-0.

Sessa and Bent-Cole found two late moments of magic, scoring a pair of goals within the final 32 seconds of the third quarter. Graduate student midfielder Maddie Zimmer assisted Bent-Cole's second goal of the afternoon.

"They're doing it from their defense," Fuchs said. "When [Bent-Cole and Sessa] come up with the ball, and we're numbers up, they're hard to stop. They're so fast and don't care who scores as long as the ball goes into the net. That's a sign of a great team."

At a lightning pace, the Wildcats carved out a 5-0 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Zivojnovic struck paydirt on Northwestern's first penalty corner of the fourth quarter, capitalizing on Zimmer and Sessa's helpers to score her fourth goal of the season. Not much later, Krys converted a seventh with four minutes remaining, cementing a blowout win for Northwestern.

"We have the speed, we have the talent, but every single one of us wants each other to succeed," Bent-Cole said. "That's super special about our team. That's why we're able to perform."