Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Hope to Tame Tigers in NCAA Quarterfinal
5/14/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
May 14, 2005
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EVANSTON, Ill. - To say that the Northwestern women's lacrosse season has been unprecedented in 2005 would be an understatement. An undefeated regular season, the No. 1 ranking for the past eight weeks, and the top seed in this year's NCAA Championship has not only been re-writing the Wildcat record book, it has been causing long-time lacrosse followers to acknowledge the game's booming growth from the East coast.
(1) Northwestern vs. (8) Princeton
NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship quarterfinal
Sunday, May 15 * 1 p.m. Central
Radio: WNUR (89.3 FM)
Tickets: $5 general admission; $3 students with WildCARD; $3 kids 18 and under
Sunday afternoon, the upstart Wildcats will attempt to proceed further in the NCAAs than any previous team in NU history -- including the first era of lacrosse, from 1982-92 -- and they will look to do it against one of the nation's most established women's lacrosse programs.
With the clash between old-school and new-school, Northwestern's matchup with Princeton is arguably the most intriguing of the four quarterfinal games going on Sunday (the other games going on are Georgetown at Dartmouth; Boston University at Virginia; and North Carolina at Duke).
Princeton makes its first trip to Evanston carrying the torch of the old guard. Since 1993, the Tigers have played in the NCAA title game seven times, winning three of them (1994, 2002, 2003). Princeton has played in four of the last five championship contests, including last year when the Tigers saw their two-year streak of national titles end with a loss to Virginia. Head coach Chris Sailer has built a program that is among the most envious in the country.
Northwestern's program, meanwhile, reflects the players who take the field -- the 'Cats have arrived quickly, and they have attacked hard. NU finished the 2005 regular season -- just its fourth as a varsity program -- leading the nation in scoring offense and scoring defense, and the Wildcats did nothing to hurt those numbers with their 16-3 dismantling of Mount St. Mary's in the NCAA first-round game played here Thursday. This is a team that has played at a high level all season.
Unlike almost every game to this point -- only its season opener was closer than five goals -- NU can figure on being tested Sunday. Princeton played arguably its best game of the season Thursday against Maryland, knocking off the Terps 16-8 just one week after losing to them in four overtimes.
On the line today? A bid into the NCAA semifinal round (to be played Friday at Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.) and a matchup with the winner of today's Dartmouth-Georgetown game.
The Series With Princeton
This is the first meeting between the Wildcats and the Tigers in the modern era of NU women's lacrosse (since 2002).
Northwestern's NCAA History
This season represents Northwestern's second-straight foray into the NCAA Tournament. In addition, the 'Cats made the postseason five times during the previous era of varsity lacrosse (1982-92)--the 'Cats operated as a club team from 1993-2001 and were not eligible for NCAA Championship play during that time. In all, NU is 3-6 in NCAA play, and is looking to advance beyond the quarterfinal round for the first time in program history.
1983 (12 teams)
at Harvard 9, NU 8 (1st Round)
1984 (12 teams)
at NU 6, New Hampshire 2 (1st Round)
at Temple 16, NU 7 (Quarterfinal)
1986 (6 teams)
at Maryland 11, NU 7 (1st Round)
1987 (6 teams)
New Hampshire 11, at NU 9 (1st Round)
1988 (6 teams)
at Penn State 12, NU 6 (1st Round)
2004 (16 teams)
at NU 10, Notre Dame 8 (1st Round)
at Virginia 15, NU 11 (Quarterfinal)
2005 (16 teams)
at NU 16, Mt. St. Mary's 3 (1st Round)
