Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
12-2 (2-2ALC)
ARV Johns Hopkins
9-5 (1-2ALC)
| Team | 1 | 2 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwestern | 7 | 4 | 11 |
| Johns Hopkins | 6 | 6 | 12 |
Northwestern Falls Short at Johns Hopkins, 12-11
4/16/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
April 16, 2011
Site: Baltimore, Md. (Homewood Field)
Score: RV Johns Hopkins 12, No. 2 Northwestern 11
Records: NU (12-2, 2-2 ALC), Johns Hopkins (9-5, 1-2 ALC)
Next NU Event: Friday, April 22 vs. Ohio State • Evanston, Ill. • 7 p.m.
Johns Hopkins 12, Northwestern 11 -- Box Score
BALTIMORE, Md. -- Baltimore native Brooke Matthews scored a hat trick playing down the street from her high school alma mater, but it wasn't enough for No. 2 Northwestern as it lost a back-and-forth battle, 12-11, to ALC foe Johns Hopkins Saturday at Homewood Field.
Eight other Wildcats joined Matthews with goals.
After Johns Hopkins seized a 12-10 lead with eight minutes to play, junior Alex Frank helped NU respond with a goal and back-to-back draw controls to cut the lead to one. The Wildcats came close to finding the equalizer on multiple occasions over the final minutes but ultimately could not pull level.
"We need to be ready to take everyone's best shot when we step on the field, that's who we are," said head coach Kelly Amonte Hiller. "We're not doing that right now and we're making the same mistakes repeatedly. We're not going to win games if we continue doing that."
Sophomore Erin Fitzgerald lifted NU's lead to 2-0 only one minute later with a free position goal. After the Wildcats forced Hopkins into a turnover on JHU's first possession, junior Jessica Russo dropped a pretty spin move on her defender in the fan and finished the shot for her 10th goal of the year.
Hopkins found its footing over the next few minutes with two unassisted goals, but Matthews answered with a veritable replay of her first score, driving down the right side and bouncing one past Cosette Larash to make it 4-2 Wildcats.
Freshman Christy Turner then picked up a loose ball on defense for NU and brought it to the offensive end, where Kara Mupo was fouled and converted a free position shot to restore a three-goal lead.
The Blue Jays refused to go away, however, as Brooke Foussadier scored her second of the game and Candace Rossi struck again for JHU to set the score at 5-4. Hopkins was dealt a blow only minutes later when second-leading scorer Taylor D'Amore was issued her second yellow card, sidelining her for the rest of the game.
Sophomore Ali Cassera scored her 16th of the year only to have the hosts counter to pull within one once again. Hopkins finally was able to find the equalizer as Katie Duffey knotted the action at six with 1:05 left before the break.
Only 17 seconds later, Taylor Thornton regained a lead for NU with her free position goal, NU's third such tally of the game. Fitzgerald had one last free position opportunity with five seconds remaining but saw her shot saved by Larash, keeping the score at 7-6 entering the locker rooms.
Although Northwestern dominated possession over the first nine minutes of the second half, Hopkins cashed in on its few opportunities to seize its first lead of the game, 8-7, when Colleen McCaffrey scored consecutive goals.
After an unassisted goal by Gabriella Flibotte, NU put together a full-team effort for its next score. Thornton caused a turnover that was picked up by Brianne LoManto rushed up the field by Colleen Magarity and finished on offense by Matthews off a feed by Alex Frank.
Still, however, Hopkins continued to fight and tied the score at nine. Shannon Smith got in the scoring column with an unassisted blast, which JHU quickly countered on a fast-break goal off the draw to keep it tied at 10.
But the hosts gained control of the ball and the lead over the next six minutes, extending it to a 3-0 run with 7:09 to play to take a 12-10 advantage.
Frank won a huge ensuing draw control and then followed it up with a goal off a feed by Smith, cutting it to 12-11, and managed to win possession back for the `Cats on the next draw. She nearly completed a heroic sequence but saw her shot from the middle of the fan clang off the left post. Northwestern would have one final rush at goal, but could not find the back of the net.
Northwestern out-shot Johns Hopkins 28-19 and collected 11 more draw controls but were slowed by eight saves by Larash.
Northwestern is next in action at 7 p.m. Friday when its ALC season rolls on against Ohio State at Lakeside Field in Evanston.
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