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Rutgers Field Hockey Unbeaten Streak Ends in Penalty Shootout

The unbeaten streak is over, but the mission is still in front of them. Rutgers Field Hockey (15-1) watched their unbeaten regular season come to an end Sunday afternoon in…

Rutgers Field Hockey

Rutgers NCAA women’s field hockey game against Northwestern field hockey game in Piscataway, N.J. Sunday, Oct 22, 2023
(Noah K. Murray – Rutgers Athletics)

The unbeaten streak is over, but the mission is still in front of them.

Rutgers Field Hockey (15-1) watched their unbeaten regular season come to an end Sunday afternoon in a 2-1 penalty shootout loss to Northwestern (15-1). The Wildcats as a result captured the Big Ten Conference regular season championship.

With one game left in the regular season next week against Iowa, the focus will quickly shift to the Big Ten Tournament.

The loss didn't come with out controversy as Rutgers connected on its final shot of the penalty shootout to take a 4-3 penalty shot lead, however officials waved the goal off after review, forcing another shootout period. Rutgers missed on its first attempt, and Northwestern nailed it when Peyton Halsey got the ball past Sophia Howard.

Earlier, Rutgers had grabbed the lead on Paulina Niklaus's netter from the corner, and wound up leading Northwestern for nearly 40 minutes of regulation.

However at the 48 minute mark Ilse Tromp tied the game at one on a corner shot.

"I liked the way we competed and fought to the very end," head coach Meredith Civico said. "The team is incredibly motivated to continue with what is still to come for us this season."

Rutgers can still claim a share of the Big Ten regular season title should Northwestern lose to Maryland, and the Scarlet Knights beat Iowa on October 27.

Then it's tournament time.

Michael Cohen is the News and Sports Director at Fox Sports Radio New Jersey and Magic 98.3 FM, as well as a radio production assistant with Fox and Magic in New Jersey. He started his career in Somerset in 2018 initially as a news fill-in at WCTC 1450 AM, and soon moved up to higher responsibilities in the ensuing years, assuming News & Sports Director title in 2021Prior to his time with Fox Sports New Jersey, Michael was play-by-play voice for New Jersey Jackals baseball, and as well as play-by-play and color for the College of Staten Island basketball (men and women), softball and baseball. Michael began his career as a news and sportswriter with the Jersey Journal of Hudson County.