Sunday, February 28

Syracuse, NY

11 a.m.

Northwestern

1-2

Syracuse

5-0

Team	1	2	Final F
Northwestern	6	6	12
Syracuse	8	8	16

No. 5 Wildcats Suffer Setback at No. 2 Syracuse, 16-12

2/28/2016 2:26:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Juniors Sheila Nesselbush and Christina Esposito matched their career highs with four and three goals scored respectively, but a 5-0 run by No. 2 Syracuse in the second half was too much to overcome for the fifth-ranked Northwestern lacrosse squad as they suffered their second loss Sunday, 16-12.

The Wildcats (1-2) and Orange (5-0) played an aggresive, high-pace affair in front of 1,593 fans inside the Carrier Dome.

In a game of 'whose run will be bigger?', the Orange scored five unanswered goals over a 7:05 stretch midway through the second half to break an 8-8 tie and take a 13-8 lead. Senior Kaleigh Craig broke the run with her second of three goals at the 12:22 mark and junior Catie Ingrill tallied her second goal of the game 2:46 later to cut the deficit to three, 13-10.

Unfortunately, the Orange responded with another run, scoring three unanswered in a span of 2:12. As the Wildcats continued to turn up the pressure with double teams on dense, Kayla Treanor scored her fourth goal of the game with 5:29 to play to start the run before Gabby Jacquith and Eric Bodt found the back of the net to extend the lead to six, 16-10.

Nesselbush matched her career high with her fourth goal of the contest with 2:31 to play and Craig capped a hat trick just 49 seconds later, but Chicago's Big Ten Team did not get another chance as the Orange won the ensuing draw control and were able to run out the clock.

Northwestern fell behind 3-0 right out of the gates, but quickly found its stride with five unaswered goals of their own to take a 5-3 lead with 12:15 to go in the first half. Craig opened the scoring and was followed by a pair of Esposito goals that sandwhiched Nesselbush's first tally.

Ingrilli got into the act and capped the run at the 12:15 mark of the first half. After a save by Cuse keeper Allie Murray, Ingrilli got her stick in front of Murray's clear attempt and caused a turnover that left the back of the net wide open for her first score of the season.

Treanor scored her first two goals of the game back-to-back to tie the game, 5-5, but Nesselbush buried her second goal of the half for the Wildcats' final lead at 6-5. Syracuse closed the half with a 3-0 run to take a 8-6 lead into halftime.

After the break, a stick check was called by the Wildcats and a pair of Syracuse sticks being used in the draw circled were deemed illegal. The Orange were issued a pair of two-minute non-releasable penalties to open the second half. NU took advantage with a man-up goal by Esposito at the 28:01 mark to cut the deficit to one, 8-7, and then later tied the game at the 23:41 mark on a goal by Nesselbush before the Orange took control with their 5-0 run.

The two teams were whistled for a combined 89 fouls in the game - 53 by Syracuse and 36 by Northwestern. Both teams finished with 14 ground balls and the Orange had a slight 28-27 advantage in shots, but a 20-10 advantage in the draw circle for the Orange also played a factor.

Northwestern is back in action on Thursday when they travel to Louisville, Kentucky, to take on the undefeated Cardinals. Opening draw is scheduled for 12 p.m. CT.