’Cats Dominate Rutgers in Second Half of 14-7 Victory

4/22/2017 1:05:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

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PISCATAWAY, N.J. — It wasn't quite the start they expected, but it was the finish they needed as the No. 15 Northwestern lacrosse team dominated Rutgers in the second half to run away with a 14-7 victory and secure a spot in the 2017 Big Ten Tournament.

The Wildcats outscored the Scarlet Knights in the second half, 10-2, to improve to 4-1 in Big Ten play with the win. The victory secures one of the four spots in the tournament hosted by Maryland in College Park May 5-7.

Northwestern can clinch a share of the regular-season title with a win over the top-ranked Terrapins next Thursday, Apr. 27 in the regular-season finale at Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium. The game will be broadcast nationally on the Big Ten Network and is scheduled for 7 p.m.

It was an ugly start for the 'Cats at High Point Solutions Stadium Saturday morning as the Scarlet Knights (8-7, 2-3 Big Ten) held a one-goal margin at halftime, 5-4. The Wildcats responded quickly however, scoring the first three goals of the second half and never looked back.

Junior Shelby Fredericks got things rolling to start the second half with her ninth goal of the year and junior Sheila Nesselbush scored her first of the game just over three minuts later to give the 'Cats their first lead of the game, 6-5.

Rutgers kept the lead at one with a tally at the 20:12 mark of the second half, but Chicago's Big Ten Team held the Knights scoreless for the next 19 minutes while scoring seven straight to put the game away.

Senior Catie Ingrilli sandwiched a pair of goals around a tally by junior Nicole Beardsley to finish off her first career hat trick before senior Christina Esposito took over and score three-straight by herself to give Northwestern a 13-6 advantage.

Beardsley's free-position goal with 16:46 was her second of the game, matching her career high and giving her back-to-back multi-goal games for the first time in her career.

Esposito finished with a game-high five goals and now has a career-high 39 goals this season.

Freshman Megan Kinna led Northwestern with four ground balls and three caused turnovers, while adding an assist on Nesselbush's second goal of the game to cap the scoring.

Sophomore Claire Quinn also had three caused turnovers in the game, moving her into the top 10 on Northwestern's single-season list with 29 this year.