Northwestern University Athletics
Defending Champion Northwestern Announces Fall Ball Schedule
9/14/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
Sept. 14, 2011
EVANSTON, Ill. -- With the 2011-12 academic year just getting underway at Northwestern, the Wildcats women's lacrosse team is ready to reconvene and on Wednesday announced its competitive fall ball schedule. The slate includes matchups with perennial postseason rivals including Notre Dame, Duke, Maryland and Virginia.
"Fall ball is such an important chance to lay the foundation for the team we want to be when the spring rolls around," said head coach Kelly Amonte Hiller, entering her 11th season at the helm in Evanston. "We have a lot of great returners coming back as well as a group of talented freshmen and I know that all of them are excited to be back on campus and start growing as a team."
Northwestern's first outing will come on Saturday, Sept. 24, at regional foe Notre Dame, which proved to be a tough test in last season's 14-11 victory in South Bend to open the year.
The following week Northwestern will be at home on Lakeside Field for an intrasquad Purple/White Scrimmage at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1. The game is free and open to the public.
A quick turnaround following its team scrimmage will send Northwestern on the road to Indianapolis for two games the following day. NU will meet fellow American Lacrosse Conference foe Ohio State -- coached by former 'Cat assistant Alexis Venechanos -- before closing the day against Big East member Louisville.
Northwestern's final road trip of the fall will be to Alexandria, Va., to compete in the Play for Parkinson's Women's Lacrosse Series on Oct. 15-16. The Wildcats will face three ACC squads in the two-day tournament, beginning with Virginia on Saturday. The next day, NU meets 2011 NCAA Tournament teams Stanford and Duke before wrapping up the event with a rematch of last season's national championship game, taking on Maryland.
The Play for Parkinson's Lacrosse Series also features high-profile men's teams on Saturday, including Army, Princeton, Johns Hopkins and defending champion Virginia.
NU's final scheduled fall ball date falls on Friday, Oct. 21, when the 'Cats welcome back former players for the annual Alumni Game at Lakeside Field. Like the Purple/White Scrimmage, this event is open to the public.
Northwestern returns 24 players from its 2011 NCAA championship-winning team, including nearly all of its offensive production from a year ago -- led by Tewaaraton Award winner Shannon Smith along with starting goalkeeper Brianne LoManto on the defensive end.
2011 Northwestern Fall Ball Schedule
Sat., Sept. 24: at Notre Dame -- South Bend, Ind. -- 1 p.m. ET
Sat., Oct. 1: Purple/White Scrimmage -- Evanston -- 1 p.m. CT
Sun., Oct. 2: Ohio State/Louisville Play Day -- Indianapolis
• NU vs. Ohio State: 12:30 p.m. ET
• NU vs. Louisville: 2:10 p.m. ET
Sat., Oct. 15: vs. Virginia -- Alexandria, Va. -- 3 p.m. CT
Sun., Oct. 16: Play for Parkinson's Tournament
• NU vs. Stanford: 9 a.m. ET
• NU vs. Duke: 10 a.m. ET
• NU vs. Maryland: 1 p.m. ET
Fri., Oct. 21: Alumni Game -- Lakeside Field -- 8:30 p.m. CT
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