No. 5 Wildcats Take Down No. 4 Duke in Opener, 11-8

Sunday, February 7

Durham, N.C.

11:00 a.m

Northwestern

1-0

Duke

1-1

Team	1	2	Final F
Northwestern	6	5	11
Duke	5	3	8

No. 5 Wildcats Take Down No. 4 Duke in Opener, 11-8

2/7/2016 2:00:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

DURHAM, N.C. - Sophomore Selena Lasota picked up where she left off last season scoring five goals, junior midfielder Sheila Nesselbush chipped in with a hat trick and freshman goalkeeper Mallory Weisse made eight saves in her collegiate debut as the fifth-ranked Northwestern lacrosse program opened the 2016 season with a win at No. 4 Duke Sunday afternoon, 11-8.

Lasota and Nesselbush eached netted a hat trick in the first half as the Wildcats (1-0) closed the first 30 minutes on a 4-0 run to take a 6-5 lead into the break. Nesselbush notched the 'Cats' first goal of the season on a feed from sophomore Corinne Wessels, but the Blue Devils were able to respond with a pair of unanswered goals to take a 2-1 lead.

The Canadian sensation Lasota found the back of the net for the first time this season at the 21:09 mark of the first half by coming from behind the cage and flipping a backhand shot around the goalkeeper to tie the game. The Blue Devils scored three-unanswered goals to take a 5-2 lead with 13:20 to go in the first half.

Nesselbush started the 4-0 run with her second goal of the half at the 12:44 mark and after back-to-back goals by Lasota, scored her third of the half with 3:47 remaining in the half to give Chicago's Big Ten Team their 6-5 halftime lead.

The Wildcats came roaring out of the gates in the second half and extended the run to 6-0 as Lasota scored just 25 seconds in and senior Kaleigh Craig scored her first goal of the season 54 seconds later to extend the lead to 8-5.

The play of the Blue Devils' goalkeeper Kelsey Duryea helped the Blue Devils mount a comeback however. Duryea held the 'Cats in check over a 21-minute stretch in the second half to help Duke erase the three-goal deficit and tie the game with 7:56 to go. Duryea finished with 16 saves, a year after making nine saves against the 'Cats.

The tie didn't last long though as the 'Cats made quick work by winning the ensuing draw control. It took just 21 seconds for Craig to score what turned out to be the game-winning goal. The Wildcats quickly found the back of the net again as Lasota scored her fifth of the day 23 seconds after Craig's to extend the lead to 10-8.

Junior Danita Stroup, a transfer from LIU Brooklyn and World Champion with the Canadian U19 team, scored her first goal with the #B1GCats with 5:23 to go for the final tally of the game. Junior Christina Esposito assisted on Stroup's goal.

Lasota and Nesselbush also led the Wildcats with four ground balls apiece, while sophomore Shelby Fredericks and Nesselbush had four draw controls each. Northwestern won the draw control battle, 12-9, and outshot the Blue Devils, 31-24.

The Wildcats are back in action next Saturday, Feb. 13 against No. 10 Virginia in Kennesaw, Georgia.