Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
1-0
USC
0-1
| Team | 1 | 2 | OT | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwestern | 3 | 8 | 1 | 12 |
| USC | 7 | 4 | 0 | 11 |
Team Stats
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
No. 5 #B1GCats Open Season With 12-11 Comeback Win
2/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
LOS ANGELES — It may not have been the start they wanted, but it was the finish they needed.
After trailing by as much as 7-0 in the first half, the fifth-ranked Northwestern Lacrosse program shook off their early-season jitters en route to a dramatic 12-11 overtime victory over USC in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Saturday afternoon.
In the end it was freshman Selena Lasota's fourth goal of the contest just 53 seconds into overtime that proved to be the game winner. Lasota also dished out a pair of assists to finish with a team-high six points in her debut.
Senior Kara Mupo notched the equalizer with just 37 second left in regulation. The goal was her fifth of the game, matching her career high.
"I'm just proud of our girls," head coach Kelly Amonte Hiller said. "They battled. They believed we could come back no matter what the situation was. Even when we didn't win draws we came up with defensive stops. We were much more aggressive in the second half and were able to come up with the ball and put the ball away."
Early turnovers and untimely fouls put the 'Cats in a tough spot early on as the Women of Troy were able to capitalize on each of their four free position opportunities in the first half en route to taking a 7-0 advantage.
Trailing 7-0, Mupo put the Wildcats on the board for the first time this season at the 3:29 mark of the first half and Lasota scored her first career goal just 50 seconds later. Lasota would assist on classmate Shelby Fredericks first career goal with just 35 seconds remaining in the half to cut the deficit to 7-3 at halftime.
USC scored a pair of goals to open the second half, but Lasota was able to help the 'Cats answer as she fired home a rocket on an 8-meter shot with 24:13 on the clock before notching her first career hat trick with her third goal of the contest at the 19:07 mark.
Mupo scored her second goal of the afternoon with 17:15 to go to cut the deficit to three, 9-6, but Caroline de Lyra scored her fourth goal of the game just 15 seconds later to put USC back up four.
Junior Christina Esposito got into the scoring column when she split a defender and the goalkeeper to find herself in front of a wide open net with 16:06 to play and Mupo notched a hat trick of her own six minutes later when she pulled the Wildcats within two, 10-8.
USC answered again on a goal by Amanda Johansen with just under 10 minutes to play, extending the lead to 11-8, but Mupo converted on an 8-meter opportunity and Fredericks' 8-meter goal pulled the 'Cats within a goal with 2:05 to play.
Junior Lauren Murray came up with a huge draw control at the 2:01 mark, prompting a NU timeout. Unfortunately, the 'Cats turned it right over on an errant pass, but in true Wildcat bend-but-dont break fashion, senior Caley Chelios caused a turnover with 1:07 to play to set up Mupo's tying goal.
Senior Haydyn Anigian and sophomore Sheila Nesselbush led the Wildcats with a pair of caused turnovers each, while Anigian led the 'Cats with three ground balls. Murray led Northwestern with four draw controls.
The Wildcats are back in action at the Cobb County Classic on Saturday, Feb. 14 when they will take on No. 6 Virginia.
