NIU’s field hockey team made the most of its brand-new NCAA No. 17 ranking by winning its third straight game with a sweep to two Philadelphia-area opponents Friday and Saturday.

NIU opened the weekend with a 4-1 victory over Villanova University Friday. The Huskies came back Saturday morning to shutout Drexel University, 4-0, the fifth NIU shutout of the season.

Coach Laurie Bell went to the bench in both Pennsylvania games losing nothing in the transition between starters and reserves on her 7-4 Huskie squad.

“The bench played very well and set-up some scoring opportunities against Drexel,” Bell said. “We got excellent games by frontliners Maaike Schroeder and Laura Wehrman, and middle forward links Amy Lynn and Debbie Beans. Alice Wassman played a strong defensive game.

“These two east coast wins, plus the victory over Michigan last weekend, gives us great momentum going into the Iowa game. Iowa is ranked sixth in the NCAA poll and shares the Midwest Collegiate Field Hockey Conference lead with Northwestern University.

Five different Huskies scored goals in the two games led by Wehrman’s two Drexel and one Villanova scores. Wassman scored a goal in each game and earned an assist on Schroeder’s second- half score against Villanova. Regina Vanderwerf scored on an Amy Lynn pass against Villanova while Nicol Getner scored her first goal of the season unassisted late in the second-half Drexel play.

Defensively, NIU goalie Jeltie Janseen was credited with her fifth shutout of the season. Janseen totaled 18 saves in the two games while Christy Reiff came into the Villanova game and stopped five Wildcat scoring attempts.

NIU returns to MCFHC play Oct. 14 and 15 at Ann Arbor, Mich., the Huskies battle Iowa Oct. 14 then meet Michigan in the second of two scheduled league games Oct. 15.