Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
5-2
Syracuse
8-3
| Team | 1 | 2 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Syracuse | 6 | 4 | 10 |
| Northwestern | 8 | 3 | 11 |
Team Stats
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
Seventh-Ranked #B1GCats Knock Off No. 5 Syracuse, 11-10
3/22/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
Evanston, Ill. -- When you have the opportunity to host a top-five team, you expect your seniors to step up and lead the way.
Northwestern's seniors did exactly that on Sunday afternoon at Lakeside Field, helping the seventh-ranked Wildcats knock off fifth-ranked Syracuse in front of a crowd of 927 lacrosse fans, 11-10.
Senior Kara Mupo, absent from the last two games due to injury, returned to score five goals for the second time this season. Senior goalkeeper Bridget Bianco made 10 saves for her third-straight double-digit performance and senior Jess Carroll helped hold one of the top offensive players in the country in the Orange's Kayla Treanor without a point.
While the Wildcats' seniors were doing what you would expect of upperclassmen, freshman Selena Lasota continued to do what the expectation of the first-year player has become, scoring four goals for her fifth game this season with as many tallies.
In the end, it was Bianco's 10th save of the game that clinched the win and proved to be the most important. Mupo was assessed a yellow card with 2:12 remaining and the 'Cats holding on to the 11-10 lead, giving the Orange a player advantage. Syracuse worked the ball around the fan looking for an opportunity that finally came with 1:19 left, but Kelly Cross, who already had three goals in the contest, went high on Bianco to no avail and the 'Cats ran out the clock.
The Wildcats fell behind 2-1 at the 22:14 mark of the first half on a goal by Riley Donahue, but Lasota scored her first goal of the game and sophomore Sheila Nesselbush scored her second goal in the 10th minute to put the 'Cats in front, 3-2.
The Orange responded on a goal by Lisa Rogers just over a minute later, but it took Lasota less than a minute to score her second goal and give the Wildcats a lead they would never relinquish.
The goal sparked a 3-0 run for the 'Cats that included a pair of goals by Mupo. The first came on a free-position opportunity with 16:33 to play in the first half and the second came just 1:05 later when Fredericks found her cutting across the middle to increase the lead to 6-3.
Syracuse twice pulled within a goal later in the half, but each time Mupo responded for Northwestern as she finished with four first-half goals to help Chicago's Big Ten Team take a 8-6 lead to the break.
Head Coach Kelly Amonte Hiller knew the draw control would be a key factor in the game as the Orange ranked second in the country, led by Kailah Kempney, who individually ranked third in the country with nine draw controls per contest.
Despite trailing the Orange in draw controls at the half, 9-6, the Wildcats ended the game with a 12-11 advantage in the circle thanks in large part to the play of freshman Shelby Fredericks.
Fredericks finished the day with five draws and helped the Wildcats win five-straight to open the second half, limiting the opportunities of the explosive Orange offense.
Syracuse opened the scoring in the second half on an 8-meter goal by Erica Bodt to pull within a goal, but junior Kaleigh Craig found Lasota in transition off a Syracuse turnover in the 38th minute to extend the lead back to 9-7.
A pair of 8-meter goals by the Orange sandwhiched Mupo's fifth goal of the game to bring the score to 10-9 Northwestern and Lasota capped the scoring for the 'Cats with 11:35 to play to push the lead to 11-9.
A yellow card on the Wildcats allowed Kelly Cross to convert a man-advantage goal with 9:50 to play, but it would be the last time the Orange would find the back of the cage.
In addition to Fredericks, classmate Lindsay Darrell corralled four draw controls on the outside of the circle while causing a team-high two turnovers. Nesselbush led the Wildcats with four ground balls to go with her third multi-goal game of the season.
With the win over Syracuse behind them, the Wildcats will now turn their attention to the first-ever lacrosse game in Big Ten history when they host defending national champion and top-ranked Maryland Thursday night. The game will be played under the lights at Lakeside Field and will air on the Big Ten Network. Opening draw is scheduled for 6 p.m.
