Wildcats Dominate Ohio State to Stay Unbeaten in Big Ten Play

4/6/2017 9:02:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

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COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Northwestern lacrosse team made a statement from the opening draw to the final whistle Thursday night at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, dominating Big Ten foe Ohio State to improve to 3-0 in conference play with a 15-8 victory.

Junior Shelby Fredericks scored 35 seconds into the contest and senior Danita Stroup found the back of the net only 32 seconds later to give the Wildcats a 2-0 lead just 1:02 into the game. The theme of Fredericks and Stroup dominating on the attack was set and the two carried it through the entirety of the game as they each finished with six points.

Stroup scored a career high six goals on six shots - each of which was assisted on by a teammate - and Fredericks recorded her career-high six points on three goals and three assists. Fredericks added eight draw controls to lead all players and the Wildcats' defense continued its ferocious play by holding its fifth-straight opponent to 10 goals or less.

The Wildcats opened the game on a 3-0 run that was capped on a goal by freshman Lindsey McKone. After a goal by the Buckeyes (6-9, 0-4 Big Ten) cut into the lead, Stroup scored her second of the game on junior Nicole Beardsley's first career assists.

Beardsley earned a free-position opportunity just under three minutes later and despite her shot being saved by Jill Rizzo, sophomore Liza Elder picked up the ground ball and went around the world with her shot to score a SportsCenter Top-10 worthy goal to extend the lead to 5-2.

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Liza Elder goes around the ?? to put the #B1GCats in front, 5-1. #BTNStandOut #SCTop10 https://t.co/wCRUNfaPSL
— Northwestern Lax (@NULax) April 6, 2017

Northwestern went into halftime with a 6-2 lead thanks to Stroups third goal of the game, but it was their response to an early second-half comeback attempt by Ohio State that put the game away.

Despite senior Catie Ingrilli scoring the first goal of the second half to extend the lead to five, 7-2, Ohio State responded with back-to-back goals to cut the lead to three, 7-4. Chicago's Big Ten Team responded with six of the next seven goals, including a pair by Stroup. In fact, the only Ohio State goal during the stretch came when the ball slipped out of the stick of NU goalkeeper Mallory Weisse acrosse the crease line.

The 'Cats didn't let the own goal slow them down however, scoring four unanswered to push the lead to 13-5. Fredericks started the 4-0 run with her second goal of the game before Ingrilli scored her second of the game on a free-position goal and senior Christina Esposito extended her career-long point streak to 30 games with her 33rd goal of the season. Elder matched her season and career high with her second goal of the game to give the 'Cats an eight-goal lead, their largest of the game.

Stroup capped her six-goal performance on Fredericks third assists of the game and Beardsley dished out her second helper on Fredericks third score.

Ingrilli matched her career high for the second time this season with four points and junior Sheila Nesselbush finished with a career-high eight ground balls to tie the third-best single-game mark in program history.

The Wildcats moved closer to securing one of four spots in the Big Ten Tournament with the win and will look to continue the momentum when they take on No. 5 Penn State at Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium next Thursday at 7 p.m.