Michigan
Northwestern
Wolverines to Begin Big Ten Slate with Pair of Road Matches in Illinois
9/8/2026 4:15:00 PM | Women's Soccer
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's soccer team (2-0-3, 0-0-0 Big Ten) opens Big Ten Conference play on the road this week with a pair of matches. The Wolverines will travel to Evanston, Ill., to take on Northwestern (2-3-2, 0-0-0 Big Ten) at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium on Thursday (Sept. 11 )at 6:30 p.m. CT before traveling to Champaign, Ill., to face Illinois (3-0-3, 0-0-0 Big Ten) at Demirjian Park on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT. Both contests will be streamed live on B1G+.
Notes
• U-M earned its first home win of the season, defeating Georgia Southern 3-0 on Thursday (Sept. 3).
• Sophomore Natelle El Mokbel scored her first goal in the maize and blue and recorded the first multi-goal game of her career, finding the back of the net twice against the Eagles.
• Goalkeeper Malia Zillman earned her first collegiate clean sheet and improved her season save percentage to .810, which ranks 10th among freshman goalkeepers nationally.
• Ella Jablinksey continued her offensive production, scoring her second goal of the season against Georgia Southern.
• Lilley Bosley collected two assists in the win over the Eagles, while Elle Ervin added an assist.
• U-M holds a 16-8-6 record against Northwestern. The last time the two teams met in Evanston, Michigan came away with a 2-0 victory.
• The Maize and Blue holds an 18-10-2 record against Illinois and has won six of 12 meetings in Champaign. Last season's matchup at U-M Soccer Stadium ended in a 1-1 draw.
• Michigan last opened Big Ten play with a victory in 2023, defeating Minnesota 1-0.
• Next week, the Wolverines will travel to East Lansing, Mich., to take on in-state rival No. 5 Michigan State on Sunday, Sept. 20, at 1 p.m. The contest will be streamed live on B1G+.
