Northwestern’s school-record 668-minute scoreless streak was shattered last weekend as they took just one point from their first conference road trip.
But after the disappointing result against Minnesota, the 21st-ranked Wildcats (7-1-2) took down 20th-ranked Penn State 1-0 Thursday night in Evanston for their biggest win of the season thus far.
The Wildcats hadn’t dropped the Nittany Lions since 2013. Despite a 16-2 shot differential and 11-1 corner differential, Kayla Sharples’ goal with 9 seconds remaining in the first half would prove to be all Northwestern’s defense needed. Even down key senior defender Nikia Smith, missing her first contest of the year with an undisclosed injury, the Wildcats, stepped up, led by Sharples and fellow senior center back Hannah Davison.