Northwestern University Athletics
Experience One of Wildcats' Strongest Assets Heading Into 2009
1/16/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
Jan. 16, 2009
EVANSTON, Ill. -- What a difference a year makes. Heading into the 2008 season, there was a question of uncertainty when it came to Northwestern. It had just lost an extremely talented senior class, including two-time Tewaaraton Trophy winner Kristen Kjellman, saw Meredith Frank, one of its top players go down with an Achilles injury during fall ball and faced a grueling schedule, including three road games against top-10 opponents.
Fast forward a year later as the Wildcats prepare for the 2009 season. They have all but two starters returning on a senior-laden club, including 2008 Tewaaraton Trophy winner Hannah Nielsen, an incoming freshman class which is arguably one of the top in the nation and face those same top-10 opponents on the Lakeside Field turf. But head coach Kelly Amonte Hiller will be the first to admit this season will be anything but a cake walk.
"We are going to be challenged a lot this season, maybe more so than in years past," Amonte Hiller said. "But we have a very experienced and deep team, and I know they are very excited about the season ahead."
Experience will be the key for Northwestern as it boasts perhaps its most veteran roster in the program's history, as 11 seniors, four juniors and nine sophomores return for the Wildcats. Northwestern is optimistic that will be the edge it needs to make a return trip to Towson, Md., to defend its national championship come May.
COACHES
Amonte Hiller returns for her eighth season at the helm of the Wildcats, looking to build upon her 111-24 career record. She notched her 100th career victory in just her 123rd game against Vanderbilt last March, and improved to 17-1 in the NCAA tournament, as her .944 postseason winning percentage is tops in NCAA history. Her teams have posted an impressive 83-3 record since the beginning of the 2005 season, including an NCAA-record 44-game home winning streak.
Former Wildcat All-American Lindsey Munday joins Amonte Hiller on the sideline for the third season as an assistant coach, and they will be joined by another `Cat in Ann Elliott, who was hired as an assistant coach during the offseason. Scott Hiller will also be back for a seventh season as Northwestern's volunteer assistant coach.
ATTACKERS
The offensive attack is once again lead by the one-two combination of Nielsen and Hilary Bowen, who last year combined for an incredible 215 points. Nielsen resumes her role as the offensive quarterback for the `Cats, and has solidified her place among the all-time greats. She is already NU's all-time assist leader, and needs just 38 helpers on the year to become the NCAA's all-time record holder. Nielsen also enters the year fourth on the Wildcats' all-time points list with 256 and is tied for 10th in goals (115).
Bowen set a program record with 81 goals in 2008, including 17 in the NCAA tournament en route to being named the MVP for the second-straight year. Bowen enters the year ranked fifth on the all-time Wildcat goals list with 164, and is sixth all-time in both points (233) and assists (69).
Senior Casey Donohoe is also coming off a career year, registering 39 goals and adding four assists in 2008, and should continue to provide another scoring threat for the Wildcats. She will be joined by fellow senior Meghan Plunkett who is coming off her best year as a Wildcat, including notching a crucial goal in the NCAA tournament in her hometown.
Junior Danielle Spencer emerged as not just a big, physical presence for Northwestern, but also as a dangerous scoring threat, as her 59 goals is tied for the second-most in the program's history among sophomores. Spencer also was third in the team in draw controls and will continue to fill a number of roles for the Wildcats.
Sophomores Kendall Santulli and Brittany Wilbon add to the depth of the potent Wildcat attack.
MIDFIELDERS
The deepest position on the Wildcat roster, the midfield should again serve as the anchor for Northwestern. After playing at less than 100 percent in 2008, Frank should be back to full strength in 2009, which is good news for NU. She still netted 29 goals and added nine assists, and was second in the team in draw controls with 48. Frank is also among the `Cats all-time leaders in goals (122) and assists (49), and is on the verge of cracking the top-10 in points, too.
Junior Katrina Dowd looks to build upon her breakthrough sophomore campaign in which she netted 40 goals and added five assists. She also proved to be a key asset defensively as well, as she was second in the team by causing 15 turnovers.
Sophomore Brooke Matthews had an impressive start to her NU career, netting 17 goals. One of the fastest players on the field, her speed will play a key role in transition.
Amonte Hiller also brought in a strong freshman class which should also make an immediate impact. Lizzie Abramson, Alexandra Frank, Jessica Russo, Shannon Smith and Maria Tedeschi all bring solid prep resumes to Evanston and should add to an already stacked midfield lineup.
A handful of returners also will play a vital role in the Wildcats' success, lead by senior Mary Kate Casey. She will be complimented by sophomores, Kirstyn Atkinson, Rachel Fox, Kim Pantages and Samantha Santulli.
DEFENDERS
Defense is perhaps the position with the biggest question mark for Northwestern, as it will have to replace two-time Defender of the Year Christy Finch. But the position will have no shortage of talent as seniors Ali Jacobs, Caitlin Jackson, Laura Clemente and Kristin McCandlish make the transition to the backfield, joining the junior duo of Maggie Bremer and Sara Harrington and sophomore Colleen Magarity.
The defense proved to be a key component for the Wildcats last season, giving up just 6.87 goals per game, the second-best performance in the nation. Bremer and Harrington also were key players in holding Syracuse's Katie Rowan, the nation's leading scorer, to no points and just one shot combined in the two meetings with the Orange.
Freshman standout Lacey Vigmostad also figures to play an immediate role after being named a two-time All American during her high school career.
GOALKEEPERS
All-American Morgan Lathrop once again will protect the nets for the Wildcats, as the senior looks to close out her career as one of the top goalkeepers in the program's history. She enters the year with 422 saves, a .509 save percentage and a 6.88 goals against average, all of which rank near the top of the Northwestern record books. Lathrop ranked second in the nation in 2008 with a 6.87 goals against average and has posted an amazing 60-3 record in the nets for the `Cats.
Sophomore Darby St. Clair-Barrie was able to gain some valuable playing experience last year and will be joined by freshman Brianne LoManto to give Northwestern arguably one of the top goalkeeping units in the country.
THE SCHEDULE
Amonte Hiller refers to the 2009 schedule as perhaps the toughest in the program's history, and it would be hard to argue with her. Of the 17 regular season games, 10 are against opponents who finished the 2008 campaign ranked in the top-20.
Northwestern will be challenged early as the first six contests are on the road, with five of those opponents (Denver, Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, North Carolina and Georgetown) boasting top-20 rankings. The `Cats also face Johns Hopkins and Virginia on the road, both of which will likely be ranked as well.
The second half of the schedule is stacked with home games as NU looks to build upon its NCAA-record 44-game home winning streak. All eyes will be on Evanston a number of times this season, as Syracuse, Duke and Penn, last season's other final four participants, all make the trip to Lakeside Field.
In American Lacrosse Conference play, the Wildcats look to defend their five-straight conference titles by hosting Penn State and Ohio State in Evanston and travel to both Vanderbilt and Johns Hopkins. The 2009 ALC Championships will be hosted by the Nittany Lions in University Park, Pa., May 1 and 2.
"We are going to be challenged more this year than in years past, but it will be good for us," Amonte Hiller said. "I know I'm excited for this year, and I know the girls are excited as well to play some of the top competition from across the country. Hopefully that will set us up to be very experienced at the end of the season."
