’Cats Come Up Just Short in Battle with No. 5 Penn State

4/13/2017 11:15:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

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EVANSTON, Ill. — Junior Shelby Fredericks set a single-game program record with 17 draw controls and the 16th-ranked Northwestern lacrosse team battled No. 5 Penn State to the final seconds before suffering their first conference loss of the season, 14-13.

The Wildcats (7-7, 3-1 Big Ten) had a pair of opportunities to tie the game with under 10 seconds remaining in regulation, but shots by junior Sheila Nesselbush and sophomore Liza Elder were saved to prevent the tying goal.

Fredericks dominated the draw circle for the majority of the contest, racking up 10 draw controls in the first half and another seven in the second half. Her 17 draw controls are the fifth most by a player in a game this season and leave her just two shy of becoming only the second player in program history with 300 career draw controls.

Chicago's Big Ten Team jumped out to a commanding lead early, using a 5-0 run in the first half to claim a 6-1 advantage. Junior defender Ally Mueller got the 'Cats on the board first with her first career goal just under six minutes into the contest, but PSU was able to tie less than two minutes later.

Freshman Megan Kinna broke the tie with her first goal of the game and Fredericks scored on a feed from senior Catie Ingrilli 1:08 later to push the lead to two, 3-1. Senior Christina Esposito dished out her second assist of the game to Elder to cap the 5-0 run and push the lead to five, 6-1, and the 'Cats held onto the five-goal margin when Nesselbush scored her second goal of the first half with 14:47 left before the break.

The Nittany Lions scored 10 of the game's next 12 goals over a stretch of 12 minutes spanning both halves to take control of the game. After going into the break tied, 8-8, Penn State scored four goals in the first 2:30 of play in the second half to build a four-goal cushion, 12-8.

It didn't take long for the 'Cats to counter as Esposito scored her first of the game and Nesselbush capped a hat trick on an assist from Elder. After Elder found the back of the net just before time expired on the shot clock with 24:06 to play, junior Nicole Beardsley dodged her way through a crowd of defenders to score her fourth of the season and tie the game, 12-12.

Penn State's Katie O'Donnell scored the second of back-to-back goals with 13:07 left to play to push the Nittany Lions lead back to two, 14-12, but Northwestern's defense clamped down to provide the opportunity for another dramatic comeback.

The Wildcats were able to hold off a two-woman advantage by Penn State and eventually scored a woman-down goal by Kinna with 5:01 on the clock to cut the deficit to one, 14-13. Unfortunately, the 'Cats final opportunities to tie the game were thwarted by Penn State keeper Cat Rainone who finished with 11 saves.

Esposito, Elder, Ingrilli, Nesselbush and Kinna each finished with three points to lead the 'Cats as the team finished with a season-high seven assists. As a result, seven different players finished with at least two points.

Northwestern will have a quick turnaround to face another ranked foe when they take on No. 20 Duke at Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.