CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. – The Villanova field hockey team fell to the nation's top-ranked Northwestern Wildcats, dropping a 5–0 decision at home on Sunday, Sept. 21.

Northwestern opened the scoring early, converting on a penalty corner in the opening minutes. From there, Villanova's defense held firm for much of the first half, limiting opportunities until the Wildcats doubled their lead late in the second quarter just before halftime. Offensively, the Wildcats generated chances of their own, recording four shots and earning two corners in the opening 30 minutes.

The second half, however, saw Northwestern capitalize on more of its opportunities. The Wildcats struck for three goals in the third quarter, pulling away to seal the result. Despite facing 16 penalty corners, Villanova's defense stood tall, allowing just three goals in those situations. Goalkeeper Maddi Sears also contributed with two saves in her time on the field.

On the offensive end, Villanova finished with eight shots, five of which were on target, but Northwestern's goalkeeper Juliana Boon turned away every attempt to preserve the shutout.

After the game, Villanova head coach Millhouse reflected on her team's effort against the defending national champions.
"Northwestern is a really great team—they're defending champions and ranked No. 1 for a reason. They've got great players and a great coaching staff. I loved how we fought and how we defended on corners. This is a game we're going to learn from."

Up Next: Villanova will be on the road Friday, Sept. 26, for a 1:00 p.m. matchup against BIG EAST foe Temple.