Women’s Soccer Prepares for Matches Against DePaul and Xavier

EVANSTON, Ill. – The Wildcats head south Thursday, Sept. 1 to kick off their third weekend of play in the 2022 season as Northwestern women’s soccer will take on DePaul at Wish Field in Chicago. The game will begin at 4 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on the BIG EAST Digital Network. The Wildcats will then return to Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium in Evanston on Sunday, Sept 4 where they host Xavier on B1G+ at 1 p.m. CT.

Northwestern improved to 2-1-1 after the previous weekend, where it defeated SIUE 5-0 and tied Oakland, 0-0. In the home opener against SIUE, the Wildcats dominated. Josie Aulicino notched a pair of goals, while Ella Hase, Meg Boade and Ingrid Falls each scored their first of the year. Northwestern out-shot Oakland by a 15-4 margin, but six saves from the Golden Grizzlies were enough to keep the game scoreless. Both goalkeepers, Reiley Fitzpatrick and Mia Raben, performed admirably over the weekend, holding each opponent scoreless.

‘Cat Facts

– Northwestern’s five goals against SIUE on August 25 was its most in a match since scoring six against UIC in 2014.

– Aulicino ranks tied for third in the Big Ten Conference averaging 1.50 points per game.

– NU is second in the Big Ten with 10 assists on the year.

– The Wildcats defense has recorded shutouts in back-to-back games against Oakland and SIUE. It’s the first time NU has tallied back-to-back clean sheets since the 2020 season (2021 spring) against Nebraska and Michigan State.

– NU’s two goals allowed this season ranks tied for fourth in the Big Ten.

DePaul has opened the season with a 1-2 record, defeating UIC while falling to both Oakland and Iowa. The Blue Demons’ offense has been largely dormant so far, scoring just one goal total and getting out-shot by its opponents in each of the three games played. DePaul is coming off a 7-11 season, and hasn’t had a winning record since 2019. Northwestern is 9-1 all-time against the Blue Demons, winning the last four, with its most recent meeting resulting in a 1-0 victory in 2021.

Meanwhile, Xavier has begun its 2022 campaign with a nearly unblemished record, starting 3-0-1. The Musketeers have a balanced attack, as the team’s seven goals are distributed among six different athletes. Xavier is led by Simone Rivard-Roberts, the reigning BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week, who scored game-winning goals against Western Kentucky and Louisville. Against Ball State on Sunday, the Musketeers were trailing late in the second half, but…