Sunday, April 17

Evanston, Ill.

12 p.m.

Northwestern

7-7, 2-1Big Ten

Rutgers

3-11, 0-3Big Ten

Team	1	2	Final F
Rutgers	4	5	9
Northwestern	15	5	20

Photo by: Stephen J. Carrera

No. 12 #B1GCats Run Away from Rutgers on Senior Day, 20-9

4/17/2016 3:09:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

EVANSTON, Ill. — A pair of freshmen set the tone and a sophomore dazzled, but it was the seniors that carried No. 12 Northwestern to a victory over Rutgers at Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium Sunday afternoon, 20-4.

Senior captain Kaleigh Craig scored a career-high six goals, senior Lauren Murray scored her first two goals of the season and Emily Eichner capped the classes' big day with her first career goal as the Wildcats evened their record at 7-7 and improved to 2-1 in Big Ten play.

A pair of milestones took place as well Sunday afternoon as head coach Kelly Amonte Hiller earned her 250th career win and sophomore Selena Lasota scored her 100th career goal with a first-half tally.

Freshman Leighton Yenor got things going quickly for Chicago's Big Ten Team with a goal at the 28:36 mark of the first half on a feed by Lasota and another tally just 23 seconds later on a dish by sophomore Shelby Fredericks.

From there the senior class of 2016 took over as redshirt junior Christina Esposito, who will graduate in June but return for a fifth season next year, scored her scored her 21st of the season followed by goals from Murray and Craig to extend the lead to 5-1.

While the seniors were off and running offensively, the 'Cats' freshman goalkeeper Mallory Weisse was stopping shot after shot by the Scarlet Knights. Weisse made six saves in the first half alone, allowing the Wildcats' ample opportunities offensively.

Murray converted a free-position opportunity with 16:58 to go in the first half and after the Scarlet Knights cut the lead to 6-3, the #B1GCats went on a 6-0 run that included four goals from Craig and a pair of tallies from Lasota, including her 100th career goal.

Junior Danita Stroup scored her 10th of the game with 2:20 to play in the first half and Esposito found the back of the cage just 26 seconds later, but it was a goal by Lasota with 1:12 left in the half that will have all the fans buzzing.

The sophomore won the ensuing draw control following Esposito's goal and after a foul, worked her way up the field to the right side of the fan where she fired a behind-the-back shot in stride to the top left corner of the goal to complete her first-half hat trick and give the 'Cats a 15-4 advantage they took into the break.

Selena Lasota brought the crowd to its feet in the #B1GCats win with this unbelievable BTB goal. #SCTop10 https://t.co/5Uy8LXYEl8
— Northwestern Lax (@NULax) April 17, 2016

Fredericks opened the scoring in the second half for the 'Cats and Craig set her new career high with her sixth goal of the contest with 22:33 remaining to push the lead to 17-4. Stroup scored her second of the game on a feed from Fredericks and sophomore Corrine Wessels found classmate Hayley Ciklin with 15:45 left for the Wildcats' largest lead of the game, 19-4.

The Scarlet Knights were able to score five unanswered, but Eichner stopped the run with just over two minutes left to score her first career goal and match the 'Cats' season high with 20 tallies.

Northwestern finished the day with a season-high 38 shots and held a 28-18 advantage in ground balls. Craig, Murray and senior Spring Sanders each had two caused turnovers, while Weisse led the way with Murary with three ground balls apiece. Fredericks had a game-high seven draw controls.

The Wildcats will be back in action next Saturday when they continue to jockey for position in the Big Ten Tournament against No. 10 Penn State.