Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern Commences Title Defense Against UMass in San Diego
2/3/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
Feb. 3, 2010
Northwestern Lacrosse Weekly Release - Feb. 3 
Northwestern head coach Kelly Amonte Hiller has been here before.
Heading into the 2008 season, the Wildcats had a talented but young team who were expected to fill the holes left behind from one of the top senior classes in program history, including two-time Tewaaraton Trophy winner Kristen Kjellman and All-Americans Aly Josephs and Lindsay Finocchiaro.
Now, heading into the 2010 season, Amonte Hiller has a talented but young team who will be expected to fill the holes left behind from the winningest class in program history, including two-time Tewaaraton Trophy winner Hannah Nielsen and All-Americans Hilary Bowen, Meredith Frank and Morgan Lathrop.
"I think it is very similar. Last year's class was a big class to lose. When they were coming off their sophomore year, they faced the challenges this team does now. But I think this year's team will be up for the challenge. I know our seniors this year are very hungry."
In 2008, the young Wildcat team came together and battled through a tough schedule, finishing the year 21-1 and winning the program's fourth-straight national title.
This year's team faces a similarly grueling schedule with the end result still waiting to be played out. But Amonte Hiller is excited for this next Wildcat team to make their mark as well.
"This year will be a process. I'm excited about the athleticism and the talent this team has, and excited about the opportunities this year will present for us. We're just eager to get going."
COACHES
Amonte Hiller returns for her ninth season in Evanston boasting a career record of 134-24. The three-time IWLCA National Coach of the Year (2005, 2008, 2009), she enters 2010 just 16 victories shy of reaching 150 for her career.
She will once again be joined on the Northwestern sideline by a pair of her former players in Lindsey Munday and Ann Elliott. Munday is in her fourth season as a Wildcat assistant coach with Elliott beginning her second season. Volunteer assistant coach Scott Hiller also returns for his ninth season.
ATTACK
Northwestern's offensive attack was tops in the nation in 2009, setting NCAA records for points (570) and goals (407) scored in a season. This year's offensive charge should be similarly as explosive, led by senior All-Americans Katrina Dowd and Danielle Spencer and their combined 318 points (266G, 52A).
Dowd, the 2009 NCAA Championship MVP, enters her senior campaign tied for 10th all-time in program history with 134 goals. Her 75 goals last season was the third-most in program history and she heads into 2010 on a 29-game consecutive point streak.
Spencer begins her final year in Evanston ranked ninth on the Northwestern goal list with 134 after notching a career-best 64 in 2009 to go along with 20 assists. Both she and Dowd will assume the role as the leaders of the Wildcat attack.
After a 33-goal performance in her freshman season, sophomore Shannon Smith should also look to take a more active role in the Northwestern offense. Smith, who started all 23 games for the Wildcats last year, also had 27 draw controls, 25 ground balls and 12 caused turnovers.
A handful of 'Cats will compete for starting jobs and all should see significant playing time, including senior Kim Pantages and junior Kendall Santulli.
MIDFIELD
The midfield is typically the deepest position on the field for Northwestern and 2010 will be no different. But it will also be one of the youngest positions for the Wildcats, with a handful of juniors, sophomores and freshmen expected to make an impact.
The Wildcats led the nation in draw controls per game in 2009, with a lot of that due to the play of sophomore Alexandra Frank. Frank was second on the team with 63 draw controls, the seventh-best performance in program history, while adding 10 goals and leading the team with 29 caused turnovers. One of the top all-around players in 2009, Frank will be the leader of the midfield.
Junior Brooke Matthews looks to build off her personal-best 23-goal, six-assist season in 2009. One of the fastest players on the squad, Matthews should once again play a major role in the Northwestern transition attack.
Fellow juniors Kirstyn Atkinson and Rachel Fox will also add depth and should compete for playing time for Northwestern.
Sophomore Jessica Russo also was a factor in the Wildcat offensive attack in 2009, recording eight goals and adding a pair of assists in her freshman campaign. She will be joined by fellow classmates Lizzie Abramson and Maria Tedeschi who both saw game action in a reserve role last year.
But it will be a group of talented freshman that have the potential to make a major impact in the midfield. Ali Cassera, Beatrice Conley, Alexa Delyra, Erin Fitzgerald, Gabrielle Flibotte and Amanda Macaluso all had impressive prep careers and will be asked to help provide an immediate impact in Evanston.
DEFENSE
Northwestern's defensive backfield was one of the best in the nation in 2009, and should be even stronger this year thanks to a core of returners. Seniors Maggie Bremer and Sara Harrington will lead the defense for the Wildcats and look to build off 2009 in which the unit held opponents to just 6.83 goals per game--second-best nationally. The duo combined for 37 ground balls and 19 caused turnovers while consistently keeping the opposition's top scoring threat in check.
Sophomore Lacey Vigmostad looks to build off an impressive freshman campaign in which she scooped up 30 ground balls and forced 18 turnovers and was named to the WomensLacrosse.com All-Rookie Team along with Smith and Frank.
Junior Colleen Magarity should also play a key role for the Wildcats after seeing significant action for Northwestern. Freshman Taylor Thornton will add some depth and speed to the 'Cats defensive attack.
GOALKEEPERS
One of the constants for the Wildcats in previous years will be one of the teams question marks heading into 2010. Gone is four-year starter Morgan Lathrop, but both Brianne LoManto and Darby St. Clair-Barrie have impressed Amonte Hiller in the offseason and continue to battle for the starting job.
"Those girls have really fought all fall and it really is neck-and-neck at this point. They are working extremely hard and pushing each other and I really like the way both have played."
The duo combined for 145 minutes of work in 19 appearances 2009, recording 14 saves and posting a 9.54 goals against average.
SCHEDULE
Once again, Northwestern will face one of the country's most challenging schedules, playing seven teams who finished 2009 ranked among the top 10 and nine NCAA tournament teams.
For the second-straight year, the Wildcats get the opportunity to escape the cold and snow of a Chicago February, making their first two road trips to sunny California. Northwestern will once again open up its campaign in San Diego, facing Massachusetts in a rematch of last year's NCAA first-round contest before returning to the Golden State at the end of February, taking on Stanford and California.
The Wildcats' first games at Lakeside Field occurs in early March when the `Cats welcome Georgetown and Duquesne and begin defense of their NCAA-record 54-game home winning streak.
NU then embarks on perhaps the toughest stretch of its schedule, playing five of its next six away from Evanston, including a pair of American Lacrosse Conference opponents and four teams that finished 2008 among the top-10. The Wildcats head to Syracuse to face the Orange, followed by a trip to Columbus, Ohio, for their ALC opener against Ohio State. The annual clash with Notre Dame will take place at Lakeside Field at the end of March before a crucial three-game April road trip to Duke, Penn and Penn State.
Five consecutive home games close out the regular season schedule for coach Amonte Hiller's squad, beginning with conference opponent Johns Hopkins before a rematch of last season's national championship game against North Carolina in a game televised live by the Big Ten Network.
After NU takes on ALC rival Vanderbilt, Virginia makes its first-ever trip to Evanston in another Big Ten Network showdown before the `Cats close out the regular season with the first meeting against ALC newcomer Florida.
Northwestern will then make a return trip to Columbus for the 2010 American Lacrosse Conference Championships in May. But ultimately the final goal for the Wildcats is a third-straight trip to Johnny Unitas Stadium in Towson, Md., as Towson will once again serve as the host of the NCAA Division I Women's Final Four on Memorial Day weekend.
