No. 6 Wildcats Look to Get Back on Track at No. 12 Louisville

3/2/2016 7:00:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

NORTHWESTERN LACROSSE: GAME DAY INFORMATION
DATE	OPPONENT	TIME	LOCATION	BROADCAST	LIVE STATS
Thursday, March 3	No. 12 Louisville	12 p.m.	Louisville, Ky.	GoCards.com	GameTracker
Social: Twitter (@NULax and @NU_SportsLive) \| Instagram (@NU_Lax) \| Facebook Game Notes: Northwestern \| Louisville

EVANSTON, Ill. — The sixth-ranked Northwestern lacrosse program will look to get back on the winning track when it takes on No. 12 Louisville Thursday at noon.

The Wildcats are coming off back-to-back losses to No. 10 Virginia and No. 2 Syracuse, but enter the contest with perfect 4-0 record against the Cardinals (5-0) all time. Chicago's Big Ten Team defeated Louisville twice last season, including in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

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 Thursday's contest at at No. 12 Louisville with 244 career wins and just 49 losses and is 4-0 against the Cardinals. 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.

BIG TEN ANNOUNCES 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.

CAPTAIN CRAIG
Senior attacker and captain Kaleigh Craig has scored two goals in each of the 'Cats' first three games. She has now scored at least two goals in 15 games of a 16-game goal streak dating back to March 29 of last season. The Wantagh, New York, native is the team's active leading goal scorer and is just 12 goals shy of 100 for her career.

READY FOR BATTLE
Northwestern will play its fourth-straight ranked opponenent Thursday when it takes on No. 12 Louisville inside Louisville Stadium. The Wildcats are the only team ranked in the top 10 of the IWLCA poll that has not played an unranked opponent this season and they still have eight games against ranked opponents on the schedule.

GO, GO ESPO
Junior captain Christina Esposito has found her stride to start the 2016 season, recording at least two points in each of the Wildcats' first three games. The fourth-year junior leads the 'Cats with three assists this season and has already matched or set new career highs in goals (3 at Syracuse), ground balls (4 vs. Virginia) and caused turnovers (3 vs. Virginia).

SPREAD THE WEALTH
Senior Kaleigh Craig, junior Sheila Nesselbush and sophomore Selena Lasota - all of whom were named to the Tewaaraton Award Watch List - are currently tied for the team lead with seven goals. The 'Cats have seen six different players score at least two goals in a contest this season, including junior Catie Ingrill, who set a new career high with a pair of goals at Syracuse.

RINSE & REPEAT
The Wildcats are a perfect 4-0 against the Cardinals all time, including a pair of wins in Evanston last season. Chicago's Big Ten Team picked up a 12-10 win over Louisville on March 29 before claiming a 10-7 decision in the first round of the NCAA Tournament May 8. Selena Lasota and Kaleigh Craig each had multi-goal games against the Cardinals last year and Christina Esposito had a pair of goals in the tournament victory.

SCOUTING THE CARDINALS
The Cardinals enter the game with an overall record of 5-0 after a thrilling 7-6 overtime victory over No. 14 Boston College this past Saturday to open ACC play. Kaylin Morissette and Kelli Gerding scored two goals each and Hannah Koloski scored the game-winning goal off of a free position with 9.8 seconds left in the fi rst overtime period.

Morissette continues to lead the way for the Cardinals in scoring with 17 points, scoring 13 goals and four assists. Koloski and Morissette are tied for the team lead in goals with 13 while Kelli Gerding paces the team in assists with eight. Sophomore Brittany Read has started all five games in goal, recording a 4.90 goals against average with 37 saves on the year.