Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats and Tar Heels Square Off For NCAA Championship
5/23/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
CNN.com Feature on Jaclyn and the Wildcats
Northwestern NCAA Championship Game Notes - May 23 
Opening Draw
Top-seeded Northwestern goes for its fifth-straight national championship, facing third-seeded North Carolina at 4:30 p.m. CT Sunday, May 24, at Johnny Unitas Stadium in Towson, Md.
NU's Title Drive Plays Out In Front of National TV Audience
The Wildcats' drive for a fifth-straight national championship will play out in front of a national television audience. Sunday's national championship tilt between Northwestern and North Carolina will be televised live on CBS College Sports Network. Live stats will also be available at NUsports.com, and WNUR is with the `Cats in Towson, broadcasting the championship game live on 89.3 FM and online at sports.wnur.org.
Scouting the Tar Heels
Third-seeded North Carolina advanced to its first championship game by outlasting previously unbeaten Maryland 8-7 in the second semifinal Friday night. The Tar Heels are 16-4 on the year and have won 13 of 15 since back-to-back early season losses to Northwestern and Penn. UNC has used a balanced offensive attack all season with four 30-goal scorers on its roster. Kristen Taylor leads the Tar Heels with 37, while Jenn Russell has added 36 and both Megan Bosica and Corey Donohoe have notched 35 on the year. Bosica had notched a team-best 21 assists on the year and leads the squad in points with 56, followed close behind by Taylor's 50. Kristen Carr's 56 draw controls leads North Carolina, while Tewaaraton Trophy finalist Amber Falcone has wrecked havoc for Tar Heel opponents all season. Falcone leads the team in both ground balls (52) and caused turnovers (32) and ranks second in draw controls (35) while also adding a goal and four assists. Goalkeeper Logan Ripley recorded seven big saves in the semifinal victory over the Terrapins, upping her season total to 162. She enters the championship game with a .485 save percentage and an 8.72 goals against average. Head coach Jenny Levy is in her 14th season at the helm of the Tar Heels, posting a career record of 177-78 (.694).
Series Information
Northwestern and North Carolina get together for the seventh time Sunday, with the Wildcats holding a 5-1 series advantage. The two teams met earlier this season on a chilly March day in Chapel Hill with NU taking a 12-7 decision one day after their original contest was postponed due to inclement weather. Hannah Nielsen paced the `Cats with three goals in the victory, while Danielle Spencer had two goals and a pair of assists and Morgan Lathrop tied a season-best with 11 saves. The game marks the second time the Wildcats and Tar Heels have met in the NCAA tournament with Northwestern defeating UNC 17-6 in the 2006 quarterfinals.
Fans Invited To Help Cheer On The 'Cats
All Wildcat fans are invited out to the Globe Cafe and Bar Sunday afternoon to cheer on the 'Cats as they pursue their fifth-straight national championship. The Globe, located just north of the Hotel Orrington at 1710 Orrington in Evanston, will host a watch party and are offering great food and drink specials while having the game live on their numerous flat-screen TVs.
Dowd Sets Single-Tournament Goal Record
Junior Katrina Dowd has earned a reputation of playing her best lacrosse in the postseason and she continued to earn the title of "Miss May" with her four-goal performance against Penn in the NCAA semifinals Friday. Dowd, who had tallied seven goals in both the first round and quarterfinal victories, found the back of the net four times against the Quakers, giving her 18 goals for the tournament and breaking the previous record of 17, which had been tied by teammate Hilary Bowen last spring. But it was Dowd's final goal against Penn that proved to be the most crucial, flipping a shot over her shoulder on her knees which found its way between the pipes with 0.2 seconds remaining in the first three-minute overtime period, tying the game at 12 and swinging momentum in the `Cats favor.
Wildcats Continue Postseason Success
Since Kelly Amonte Hiller took over the reins of the program in 2002, May has been the month the Wildcats have felt the most comfortable. Northwestern has posted a 20-1 record in the NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship under Amonte Hiller, including 19 consecutive tournament victories, and her .952 winning percentage is tops in the sport's history. She also became part of an exclusive club, joining Chris Sailer, Cindy Timchal and Julie Meyers as just the fourth coach to record 20 NCAA tournament victories. As a program, Northwestern is 21-6 all-time in the NCAA tournament, boasting a .778 winning percentage - the second-best in postseason history.
2009 Wildcats Become Top Scoring Team in NCAA History
Through the first 22 games of the season, the 2009 Wildcats sit poised to rewrite a handful of team records set by the 2007 squad. That team, which won the team's third-straight national championship, set program highs in points (529), goals (361) and assists (168). This year's `Cats have already set a new team-best in goals with 386, which is also the new Division I single-season goal record surpassing the 2008 Syracuse squad. The 2009 Wildcats also have tallied 540 points on the year, which is also a new program-best, and their 154 assists is just shy of the 2007 team.
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