No. 4 ‘Cats to Battle No. 1 Bruins in Sweet Sixteen

LOS ANGELES –– Following a thrilling 2-1 victory over Vanderbilt, Northwestern moves on to the Sweet Sixteen, where the No. 1 seed UCLA Bruins await at Wallis Annenberg Stadium. With the win in the Second Round, the Wildcats collected their sixteenth win on the 2022 campaign, tying a program record (1998, 2016, 2022). The Sweet Sixteen appearance is the third in program history as well (1998,2016, 2022). Northwestern has never advanced to the Elite Eight. 

NU’s Second Round matchup with the Commodores was a hard-fought one, with neither team willing to give an inch for the first 53 minutes. Josie Aulicino broke open the scoring in the 54th minute, pouncing on a loose ball in the box for her ninth goal of the season.

.@AulicinoJosie is ice cold ?? pic.twitter.com/RBRZqo4Ctq

— Northwestern Soccer (@NUWSoccer) November 19, 2022

Following the breakthrough, the Wildcats continued to build. In the 81st minute, Josie Aulicino played a ball in to Bridget Mitchell, who passed back to Aulicino. Aulicino fired a shot at the Commodore Keeper, who saved it, but the rebound caromed to Mitchell, who smashed it into the back of the net to double the Wildcat lead. 

Pretty good time for @b_mitch15 to score the first goal of her career, huh?#GoCats | @NCAASoccer pic.twitter.com/8fmk316n8B

— Northwestern Soccer (@NUWSoccer) November 19, 2022

Vandy responded quickly, earning a penalty kick in the 83rd minute, which Ella Shamburger scored. NU’s defense locked down the Commodores for the remaining seven minutes, holding VU without a shot to see out the victory.

‘Cat Facts

• Northwestern’s win over Vanderbilt tied the program’s record of 16 wins (1998, 2016, 2022).
• The Wildcats are in the Sweet Sixteen for the third time in program history (1996, 2016, 2022), but have never advanced to the Elite Eight.
• Northwestern’s 44 goals are the most in the Moynihan era, fifteen more than the second-most of 29 (2016).
• NU’s 4-seed in the 2022 NCAA…