Northwestern University Athletics
Fifth-Ranked #B1GCats Play Host to No. 8 Duke
2/18/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
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| 2015 Northwestern Lacrosse -- Game Three |
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| No. 5 Northwestern (2-0) vs. No. 8 Duke (3-0) |
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| Date | Thursday, Feb. 19 | 3 p.m. CT |
| Location | Accelerated Center | Northbrook, Ill. (Maps & Directions) |
| Gametracker | NUSports.com |
| Social Media | @NU_SportsLIVE  | @NULax | Facebook  |
| Game Notes | Northwestern | Duke |
EVANSTON, Ill. -- The fifth-ranked Northwestern Lacrosse program will play its first 'home game' of the season Thursday when it plays host to No. 8 Duke at the Accelerated Center in Northbrook, Ill.
The Wildcats improved to 2-0 with a 6-5 win over No. 7 Virginia at the Cobb County Classic in Kennesaw, Ga., last weekend. The Blue Devils enter with 3-0 record with wins over Elon, Richmond and Navy.
The 'Cats are 12-2 all-time versus the Blue Devils and have won each of the last 11 meetings.
Don't Mess With Mupo:
Senior Kara Mupo matched her career high with five goals in the season opener at USC, including the game-tying tally with 37 seconds left in regulation. Mupo was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week and Inside Lacrosse National Player of the Week for her performance.
Quite the Start
Freshman Selena Lasota shined in her first collegiate contest, scoring four goals and dishing out a pair of assists to lead the `Cats with six points at USC. Lasota's fourth and final goal just 57 seconds into overtime proved to be the game winner in the Wildcats dramatic come-from-behind 12-11 win. The Campbell River, B.C., continued her hot start with a pair of goals in the Wildcats' 6-5 win over Virginia and leads the `Cats with six goals.
Nesselbush Well Rounded
Just five days after being named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, sophomore Sheila Nesselbush showcased her offensive abilities and set a new career high with a pair of goals against Virginia. Her second goal of the day with three minutes left in regulation proved to be the game winner.
Keep The Streak
The Wildcats have won each of the last 11 meetings against the Blue Devils by an average margin of victory of 5.5 goals per game. NU won last season's meeting in Durham behind four goals by Kaleigh Craig, 12-11.
In the Cage
Third-year starter Bridget Bianco showed why she is the leader of the Northwestern defense Saturday versus Virginia, coming up with nine saves while limiting the Cavaliers' offense that features three All-Americans to just five goals on the day. Bianco finished the day with a .452 save percentage and after allowing a pair of goals in the first two minutes of play, held Virginia to just three in the final 58.
Close Calls
The Wildcats opened the season with a pair of one-goal games, defeating USC in overtime, 12-11, and No. 7 Virginia, 6-5. Last season, the `Cats went 5-5 in one-goal games, including their victory at Duke.
Craig Back on Track
Junior Kaleigh Craig led Northwestern with 27 goals when she suffered a season-ending injury in 2014 and returned to the field in the season opener versus USC. After being held without a shot in the opener, Craig got back on track with a pair of critical goals in the win over Virginia. Last season, Craig set a career high with four goals against the Blue Devils.
@NULax Gameday At-A-Glance
Game details, series history, facts, figures and more to get you set for Northwestern's matchup versus No. 8 Duke...
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