Saturday, February 18
Torrance, Calif.
2 p.m.
Northwestern
2-2
10
vs
11
USC
2-0
1
2
OT
F
Northwestern
7
3
0
10
USC
9
1
1
11
Photo by: Stephen J. Carrera
Wildcats Drop Heartbreaker in Overtime at No. 4 USC, 11-10
2/18/2017 4:27:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
TORRANCE, Calif. — A game of inches.
The ninth-ranked Northwestern lacrosse team needed the ball roll one more inch in overtime Saturday to pick up a win over No. 4 USC, but in the end the roll didn't come and the Trojans scored 2:56 into the extra frame to hand the Wildcats their second-straight loss in overtime, 11-10.
Trailing by three with 26:53 to play, 10-7, the 'Cats held the Trojans off the board for the remainder of regulation and scored three unanswered to tie the game. Junior Selena Lasota sent a nifty behind-the-back pass to senior Christina Esposito with 24:58 left in regulation to start the run before scoring a goal of her own by knifing through the USC defense at the 8:37 mark.
Esposito scored her third of the game with 7:09 left in regulation to tie the game, 10-10.
Chicago's Big Ten Team had an early opportunity in the overtime session when Esposito found herself one-on-one with USC goalkeeper Gussie Johns, but her attempt to loft it over Johns' head from the eight-meter arc was corralled by a leaping keeper. Senior Danita Stroup ensued to check the ball out of Johns' stick as the Trojans attempted to clear and it rolled toward the goal line, but the inch the 'Cats needed for the game winner was prevented as Johns dove and pinned the ball before it rolled in.
The Wildcats had another chance when senior Catie Ingrilli caused a turnover on the Trojans' ensuing possession. The turnover led to a run out for Lasota, but her jump shot was stopped by Johns, the keeper's 17th save of the game.
Sophomore Mallory Weisse made a stop on Kerrigan Miller free position on the other end, but the Wildcats were unable to pick up the ground ball. Miller got another chance, fighting her way through the NU defense to fire a back handed shot for the game-winning goal.
The first half was a back-and-forth track meet between the two teams. After NU took their first lead of the game, 1-0, on junior Shelby Fredericks' first tally of the season, the Trojans scored four straight to take a 4-1 lead.
Stroup and Esposito sandwiched goals around a tally by Gabby McMahon to cut the deficit to two, 5-3. Esposito's first goal of the game sparked a 3-0 run that included goals by senior Catie Ingrill and freshman Lindsey McKone to tie the game with 6:11 to go in the first half, 5-5.
The Trojans reclaimed the lead on Kylie Drexel's second goal of the game, but Lasota scored her first of the afternoon on a free position and found classmate Nicole Beardsley just 31 seconds later to give the 'Cats their last lead of the game, 7-6.
A goal by Cynthia Del Core and three-straight goals by Drew Jackson spanning the end of the first half and the start of the second half gave USC a 10-7 lead before the Wildcats locked down on defense to complete the comeback and force overtime.
Weisse was key in the comeback, making eight saves and allowing just one goal in the second half after making just one stop and allowing nine goals in the first half.
Lasota finished the day with five points on a pair of goals and career-high three assists to go along with four ground balls. McKone recorded the first two points of her career on an assist and goal and fellow freshman Megan Kinna filled the stat sheet with six ground balls, six draw controls and two caused turnovers.
Fredericks extended her point streak to 23 games with a goal and finished with a season-high nine draw controls. The junior moved up to third in program history with 209 career draw controls.
The Wildcats will be back in action on Friday, March 3 in Hempstead, New York, versus No. 5 Syracuse.
The ninth-ranked Northwestern lacrosse team needed the ball roll one more inch in overtime Saturday to pick up a win over No. 4 USC, but in the end the roll didn't come and the Trojans scored 2:56 into the extra frame to hand the Wildcats their second-straight loss in overtime, 11-10.
Trailing by three with 26:53 to play, 10-7, the 'Cats held the Trojans off the board for the remainder of regulation and scored three unanswered to tie the game. Junior Selena Lasota sent a nifty behind-the-back pass to senior Christina Esposito with 24:58 left in regulation to start the run before scoring a goal of her own by knifing through the USC defense at the 8:37 mark.
Esposito scored her third of the game with 7:09 left in regulation to tie the game, 10-10.
Chicago's Big Ten Team had an early opportunity in the overtime session when Esposito found herself one-on-one with USC goalkeeper Gussie Johns, but her attempt to loft it over Johns' head from the eight-meter arc was corralled by a leaping keeper. Senior Danita Stroup ensued to check the ball out of Johns' stick as the Trojans attempted to clear and it rolled toward the goal line, but the inch the 'Cats needed for the game winner was prevented as Johns dove and pinned the ball before it rolled in.
The Wildcats had another chance when senior Catie Ingrilli caused a turnover on the Trojans' ensuing possession. The turnover led to a run out for Lasota, but her jump shot was stopped by Johns, the keeper's 17th save of the game.
Sophomore Mallory Weisse made a stop on Kerrigan Miller free position on the other end, but the Wildcats were unable to pick up the ground ball. Miller got another chance, fighting her way through the NU defense to fire a back handed shot for the game-winning goal.
The first half was a back-and-forth track meet between the two teams. After NU took their first lead of the game, 1-0, on junior Shelby Fredericks' first tally of the season, the Trojans scored four straight to take a 4-1 lead.
Stroup and Esposito sandwiched goals around a tally by Gabby McMahon to cut the deficit to two, 5-3. Esposito's first goal of the game sparked a 3-0 run that included goals by senior Catie Ingrill and freshman Lindsey McKone to tie the game with 6:11 to go in the first half, 5-5.
The Trojans reclaimed the lead on Kylie Drexel's second goal of the game, but Lasota scored her first of the afternoon on a free position and found classmate Nicole Beardsley just 31 seconds later to give the 'Cats their last lead of the game, 7-6.
A goal by Cynthia Del Core and three-straight goals by Drew Jackson spanning the end of the first half and the start of the second half gave USC a 10-7 lead before the Wildcats locked down on defense to complete the comeback and force overtime.
Weisse was key in the comeback, making eight saves and allowing just one goal in the second half after making just one stop and allowing nine goals in the first half.
Lasota finished the day with five points on a pair of goals and career-high three assists to go along with four ground balls. McKone recorded the first two points of her career on an assist and goal and fellow freshman Megan Kinna filled the stat sheet with six ground balls, six draw controls and two caused turnovers.
Fredericks extended her point streak to 23 games with a goal and finished with a season-high nine draw controls. The junior moved up to third in program history with 209 career draw controls.
The Wildcats will be back in action on Friday, March 3 in Hempstead, New York, versus No. 5 Syracuse.
••••••
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Team Stats
NU
USC
Shots
35
28
Turnovers
19
20
Caused Turnovers
9
12
Draw Controls
16
7
Free-Position Shots
7
6
Ground Balls
23
29
Game Leaders
Players
G
3
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
0
CT
0
G
2
A
3
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
4
CT
2
G
1
A
1
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
1
CT
0
G
1
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
2
CT
2
Players Mentioned
A
/ Women's LacrosseA
/ Women's Lacrosse
A
/ Women's LacrosseM
/ Women's Lacrosse
M
/ Women's LacrosseA
/ Women's Lacrosse
M
/ Women's Lacrosse
GK
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