Northwestern University Athletics
Friday, May 5
College Park, Md.
7:30 p.m.
Northwestern
10-8
12
vs
11
Penn State
15-3
1
2
F
Northwestern
7
5
12
Penn State
6
5
11
Kinna's Game Winner with 59 Seconds Advances ’Cats Past Penn State, 12-11
5/6/2017 1:09:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Freshman Megan Kinna scored the game-winning goal with 59 seconds left to advance the Northwestern lacrosse team to the championship game of the 2017 Big Ten Tournament with a win over No. 2 seed Penn State, 12-11.
The No. 3-seed Wildcats (10-8) never trailed in the contest, but needed a Kinna's goal following a caused turnover to seal the victory. The contest finished at 1 a.m. ET Saturday morning due to 1 hour and 24 minute weather delay.
Chicago's Big Ten Team will take on top-ranked and No. 1-seed Maryland in a rematch of the 2016 Big Ten Tournament championship on Sunday at 11 a.m. CT on the Big Ten Network.
Senior Christina Esposito scored a hat trick, while senior Catie Ingrilli and juniors Sheila Nesselbush and Nicole Beardsley each had a pair of goals each.
It didn't take long for the Wildcats to assert themselves as Ingrilli scored her 25th goal of the season just 52 seconds into the contest to grab a 1-0 lead. Penn State evened the game just 1:09 later, but back-to-back free-position goals by Beardsley and Nesselbush gave the 'Cats a two-goal advantage, 3-1.
The rest of the first half, and much of the game, was back and forth. The Nittany Lions tied the game again with a pair of goals midway through the first half, 5-5, but Esposito scored her first of the game with a #BTNStandOut backhanded flip to reclaim the lead, 6-5.
Sophomore Claire Quinn picked up a pair of yellow cards in a four-minute span late in the first half to force the 'Cats to play the remainder of the game without their All-Big Ten defender. Despite the two yellow cards, Penn State converted just once and sophomore Liza Elder scored with 3:02 left in the first half to give Northwestern a 7-6 lead at the break.
Just as soon as the first half ended, lightning and heavy rains began to force a 1 hour and 24 minute rain delay. The delay didn't slow the Wildcats' momentum though as Ingrilli scored just 1:02 into the second half to push the lead to a pair of goal, 8-6.
Penn State scored back-to-back goals to tie the game for a third time, 9-9, but senior Danita Stroup buried home her first of the game and Esposito capped her hat trick to again give NU a two-goal lead with 10:27 to play, 11-11.
The Nittany Lions continued to counter with back-to-back goals, tying the game at 11 with 4:17 to play. The Wildcats turned the ball over with 1:19 on the clock, but pressure on the ride from Esposito, Stroup and junior Shelby Fredericks led to a forced pass by the Nittany Lions which Kinna stepped in front of at the 8-meter arc only to beat the keeper one-on-one for the game-winning tally.
Sophomore goalkeeper Mallory Weisse was huge between the pipes, making 11 saves for her seventh double-digit save performance of the season.
Sophomore Nell Copeland, junior Lindsey Darrell and Kinna stepped up in a big way with the absence of Quinn for the final 36 minutes. Copeland finished with three ground balls and a pair of caused turnovers, while Darrell had three ground balls as well.
Kinna added three ground balls and two caused turnovers to go with her game-winning score.
The victory marked the second-straight season in which the Wildcats defeated Penn State in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament.
The No. 3-seed Wildcats (10-8) never trailed in the contest, but needed a Kinna's goal following a caused turnover to seal the victory. The contest finished at 1 a.m. ET Saturday morning due to 1 hour and 24 minute weather delay.
WHAT A PLAY BY THE FRESHMAN! Kinna scores to give the Cats a 12-11 lead w/ 59 seconds left#B1GCats https://t.co/XVQYfLX1x6
— Northwestern Lax (@NULax) May 6, 2017
Chicago's Big Ten Team will take on top-ranked and No. 1-seed Maryland in a rematch of the 2016 Big Ten Tournament championship on Sunday at 11 a.m. CT on the Big Ten Network.
Senior Christina Esposito scored a hat trick, while senior Catie Ingrilli and juniors Sheila Nesselbush and Nicole Beardsley each had a pair of goals each.
It didn't take long for the Wildcats to assert themselves as Ingrilli scored her 25th goal of the season just 52 seconds into the contest to grab a 1-0 lead. Penn State evened the game just 1:09 later, but back-to-back free-position goals by Beardsley and Nesselbush gave the 'Cats a two-goal advantage, 3-1.
The rest of the first half, and much of the game, was back and forth. The Nittany Lions tied the game again with a pair of goals midway through the first half, 5-5, but Esposito scored her first of the game with a #BTNStandOut backhanded flip to reclaim the lead, 6-5.
This is what they call a #BTNStandOut!
— Northwestern Lax (@NULax) May 6, 2017
Esposito gives the 'Cats a 6-5 lead with a wicked backhand goal. #B1GCats https://t.co/CxH7azgW7U
Sophomore Claire Quinn picked up a pair of yellow cards in a four-minute span late in the first half to force the 'Cats to play the remainder of the game without their All-Big Ten defender. Despite the two yellow cards, Penn State converted just once and sophomore Liza Elder scored with 3:02 left in the first half to give Northwestern a 7-6 lead at the break.
Just as soon as the first half ended, lightning and heavy rains began to force a 1 hour and 24 minute rain delay. The delay didn't slow the Wildcats' momentum though as Ingrilli scored just 1:02 into the second half to push the lead to a pair of goal, 8-6.
Penn State scored back-to-back goals to tie the game for a third time, 9-9, but senior Danita Stroup buried home her first of the game and Esposito capped her hat trick to again give NU a two-goal lead with 10:27 to play, 11-11.
The Nittany Lions continued to counter with back-to-back goals, tying the game at 11 with 4:17 to play. The Wildcats turned the ball over with 1:19 on the clock, but pressure on the ride from Esposito, Stroup and junior Shelby Fredericks led to a forced pass by the Nittany Lions which Kinna stepped in front of at the 8-meter arc only to beat the keeper one-on-one for the game-winning tally.
Sophomore goalkeeper Mallory Weisse was huge between the pipes, making 11 saves for her seventh double-digit save performance of the season.
Sophomore Nell Copeland, junior Lindsey Darrell and Kinna stepped up in a big way with the absence of Quinn for the final 36 minutes. Copeland finished with three ground balls and a pair of caused turnovers, while Darrell had three ground balls as well.
Kinna added three ground balls and two caused turnovers to go with her game-winning score.
The victory marked the second-straight season in which the Wildcats defeated Penn State in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament.
••••••
Be the first to know what's going on with the 'Cats -- Follow @NU_Sports on Twitter, become a fan of Northwestern Athletics on Facebook, check us out on Instagram, visit our Social Media page and download our mobile app from the Apple Store and Google Play! To get involved with the #B1GCats, become a season-ticket holder or join the Wildcat Fund!
Team Stats
NU
PSU
Shots
26
26
Turnovers
21
12
Caused Turnovers
7
9
Draw Controls
18
7
Free-Position Shots
7
11
Ground Balls
17
12
Game Leaders
G
3
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
0
CT
0
G
2
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
1
CT
1
G
2
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
1
CT
1
G
2
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
1
CT
0
Players Mentioned
A
/ Women's Lacrosse
M
/ Women's Lacrosse
A
/ Women's LacrosseA
/ Women's Lacrosse
A
/ Women's LacrosseM
/ Women's Lacrosse
M
/ Women's LacrosseM
/ Women's Lacrosse
D
/ Women's Lacrosse
A
/ Women's Lacrosse
GK
/ Women's LacrosseLacrosse - 'Cats Fall to North Carolina in National Championship Game
Sunday, May 25
Lacrosse - NCAA Semifinal Postgame Press Conference (5/23/25)
Saturday, May 24
Lacrosse - Comeback 'Cats Take Down Boston College, 12-11, Advance to National Title Game (5/23/25)
Saturday, May 24
Lacrosse - Maddy Taylor Breaks NCAA Goals Record in Quarterfinal Win (5/15/25)
Thursday, May 15
