No. 5 'Cats Return to Action at No. 2 Syracuse

2/26/2016 2:03:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

NORTHWESTERN LACROSSE: GAME DAY INFORMATION
DATE	OPPONENT	TIME	LOCATION	BROADCAST	LIVE STATS
Sunday, February 28	No. 2 Syracuse	11 a.m.	Syracuse, N.Y.	ESPN3	GameTracker
Social: Twitter (@NULax and @NU_SportsLive) \| Instagram (@NU_Lax) \| Facebook Game Notes: Northwestern \| Syracuse

EVANSTON, Ill. — After a two week hiatus from game action, the fifth-ranked Northwestern lacrosse program will return to the field for a top-five matchup at No. 2 Syracuse Sunday.

The Wildcats enter the contest 1-1 after splitting their first two games of the season against No. 4 Duke and No. 10 Virginia. The Orange are a perfect 4-0 and moved up to the second spot in the IWLCA poll this week. Chicago's Big Ten Team is 12-2 all time against the Orange.

250 IN SIGHT
Head Coach Kelly Amonte Hiller improved to 14-1 in season openers in her career and moved a win closer to 250 for her career. Amonte Hiller enters Sunday's contests at No. 2 Syracuse with 244 career wins and just 37 losses and is 12-2 against the Orange. She is a five-time IWLCA Coach of the Year, claimed the American Lacrosse Conference Coach of the Year award seven times and was inducted into the U.S. Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2012.

TRIO NAMED TO TEWAARATON WATCH LIST
Senior attacker Kaleigh Craig, junior midfielder Sheila Nesselbush and sophomore attacker Selena Lasota were named to the 2016 Tewaaraton Award Watch List Tuesday night. The Tewaaraton Award, presented by Under Armour, is given to the nation's top collegiate lacrosse player each season. Five finalists will be announced on May 12 and invited to the ceremony on June 2.

Three #B1GCats were named to the @Tewaaraton Watch List last night. https://t.co/hksvusXIVt pic.twitter.com/IFfpeV5P8g
— Northwestern Lax (@NULax) February 24, 2016

BIG TEN ANNOUNCED TELEVISION SCHEDULE
The Wildcats will play at least four games in front of a national television audience this season. The 'Cats' games against North Carolina (March 20), at Maryland (March 31) and against Michigan (April 7) will all air on the Big Ten Network. BTN will also air all five games of the 2016 Big Ten Women's Lacrosse Tournament hosted by the Wildcats at Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium May 5-8.

In addition to the 'Cats' television games, the Big Ten Network will also feature the Wildcats and Terrapins on the third installment of B1G Close Up. The show will take an inside, all-access look at the programs as they prepare for the Big Ten opener on March 31.

RIGHT WHERE SHE LEFT OFF
Sophomore attacker Selena Lasota picked up right where she left off last season, leading the Wildcats with five goals in the victory over Duke. Lasota tallied a hat trick in the first half, scored two more goals in the second half and assisted on Kaleigh Craig's game-winning goal. It marked the sixth time in her short career that she has scored five or more goals. The Campbell River, British Columbia native was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week for her efforts, earning the award for the second time in her career. She scored a pair of goals against Virginia and has now scored at least two goals in 22 of her first 23 career games.

QUITE THE DEBUT
Freshman goalkeeper Mallory Weisse made quite the debut in the Wildcats' 11-8 win over No. 4 Duke last weekend, finishing with eight saves, one ground ball and one caused turnover to earn Inside Lacrosse National Rookie of the Week honors. Weisse made four saves in each half and is just the second freshman in program history to start a season opener.

GROWING PAINS
With six freshmen regularly in the starting lineup last season, the Wildcats still advanced to their 11th-straight NCAA Quarterfinal. Now, the Wildcats return nine starters from last season to their 2016 lineup and 79.8 percent of their scoring output. The 'Cats return their leader in goals (Lasota - 69), assists (Wessels - 20), ground balls (Sheila Nesselbush/Lindsay Darrell - 36), draw controls (Shelby Fredericks - 73) and caused turnovers (Lasota, 24).

CAPTAIN CRAIG
Senior attacker and captain Kaleigh Craig has scored two goals in each of the 'Cats' first two games. She has now scored at least two goals in 14 of her last 15 games dating back to March 29, 2015. The Wantagh, New York, native is the team's active leading goal scorer and is just 15 goals shy of 100 for her career.

READY FOR BATTLE
Northwestern once again will play one of the toughest schedules in the country with each of their first four games on the road against 2015 NCAA Tournament teams and a total of 12 opponents that played in the postseason a year ago. The schedule features games against 12 teams that were ranked in the IWLCA preseason poll, including seven that are in the top 10 and each of the top four.