Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Hit The Road One Final Time
4/16/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
April 16, 2004
EVANSTON, Ill. - The last time Northwestern played a game in the American Lacrosse Conference, the Wildcats had a record of 2-1.
On that day -- March 7, to be exact -- the 'Cats earned arguably their biggest win since the program was brought back to varsity status in 2002, a 9-6 decision over the ALC's defending champion, Ohio State.
That victory served as a springboard to success; NU has not lost since then. In fact, with eight wins in a row -- six of them on the road -- the 'Cats boast the fifth-longest winning streak in the nation.
However, with four games still to play in the ALC -- starting with Saturday's game at No. 18 Penn State -- NU head coach Kelly Amonte Hiller knows that this is no time to be resting on any laurels.
"Every conference game is important, especially since this is the first year the conference champion receives an automatic bid into the NCAA Championships," she said.
A quick peek at the conference standings shows two teams still unbeaten -- Johns Hopkins (4-0) and Northwestern (2-0). Three other teams have just one loss, including the Nittany Lions (1-1). While Hopkins has just two games left in the conference (including a date at Northwestern April 25) and Vanderbilt (2-1) has just three, the other three teams in the mix have four. So there is plenty of room for a shakeup.
"With both teams still in the hunt for the title, it adds a lot of emotion to Saturday's game," said Amonte Hiller.
One of the perennial powerhouses in the game, Penn State has a 3-8 record this season but continues to be ranked because of its daunting schedule. The Nittany Lions have played eight games this season against ranked teams, including six against squads that are in the Top 10 in this week's coaches poll.
"They have a talented group of players and a solid goalie," said Amonte Hiller. "Their record is deceiving -- they have played up to the level of each opponent, and very seldom do they get blown out. We are expecting to see a solid team."
The 'Cats, meanwhile, have been playing arguably their finest lacrosse of the season lately. In the last three games, all on the road, NU has jumped on its opponent early and set the tone en route to easy wins. Amonte Hiller hopes that will again be the case Saturday.
"We have been working with our players this week on Penn State's strengths and weaknesses, but as always we are focusing more about what we can do," she said. "We are trying to go about the business as we have in the last few weeks; we are having fun, moving the ball around well offensively, and playing solid defense.
"I am excited by where we are," she continued. "This team took a little while to figure out how to take it to an opponent, but in the last three games we have put together solid 60-minute performances. I am hopeful that continues this weekend."
Notes Heading Into the Weekend
*NU enters the weekend with the fifth-longest winning streak in the nation, at eight. The four teams with longer streaks also happen to be the teams ranked 1-4, respectively, in the latest national coaches poll -- Princeton (21 games), Notre Dame (14), Loyola (9) and Maryland (9).
*At 9-1, NU has already earned its best win total since being brought back to varsity status (the 'Cats were 5-10 in 2002 and 8-8 last season) and guaranteed itself a winning season. The school record for wins in a season is 11, set in 1983 (11-3). Four other teams won 10 games during the previous era of NU lacrosse (1982-92), the last being the 1988 team (10-5). Every team that won 10 or more games made the NCAA Tournament.
*NU has been led in scoring by a freshman every year since it was brought back to varsity status -- Sarah Albrecht (28 goals, 14 assists for 42 points) in 2002 and Lindsey Munday (20-8-28) in 2003. This season, freshman Kristen Kjellman (28-9-37) is leading the way.
*Laura Glassanos (18-10-28) has already surpassed her point total of a year ago (26), when she finished second on the team in scoring. She is tied for second this season, with Albrecht (16-12-28).
*Three other players have scored at least 10 goals this season -- freshmen Aly Josephs (13) and Lindsay Finocchiaro (13), and Munday (11).
*You want more evidence of the Wildcats' offensive balance? NU had seven goalscorers at UConn on April 4, six different players scored the 11 goals at Stanford last Friday, and nine different players scored 16 goals at Cal last Sunday. The group at Cal did not include Kjellman, who was held scoreless after six straight multi-goal games.
