No. 13/15 Wildcats Start Six-Game Homestand versus No. 6/7 USC

2/24/2018 9:40:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse

NORTHWESTERN LACROSSE: GAMEDAY INFORMATION
DATE	OPPONENT	TIME	LOCATION	WATCH	LIVE STATS
Sunday, Feb. 25	#6/7 USC	12 p.m.	Martin Stadium Evanston, Ill.	BTN Plus on BTN2Go	NUSports.com
Social: Twitter (@NULax) \| Instagram (@NU_Lax) \| Facebook Game Notes: Northwestern \| USC

EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern returns home to Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium to begin a six-game homestand when it plays host to No. 6/7 USC on Sunday at noon.

The Wildcats and Trojans will be meeting for the sixth time in program history. The 'Cats claimed the first three meetings but have lost each of the last two, including a 11-10 overtime decision on the road a year ago.

NU will play four top-20 opponents during its six-game homestand spanning the next month of action. Following Sunday's contest versus No. 7 USC, Chicago's Big Ten Team will host No. 2 Stony Brook (3/3), Marquette (3/10), No. 11 UNC (3/17), Michigan and No. 5 Syracuse (3/26). The 'Cats will play on national television in back-to-back games versus the Wolverines and Orange.

Junior attack Selena Lasota recorded her third hat trick of the season at Duke a week ago and is now third in the country in points (18), ninth in goals (12) and 12th in assists (6). Lasota has 16 points over her last three games.

Redshirt first-year goalkeeper Julie Krupnick has started all four games for the 'Cats between the pipes and is playing impressively in her debut season. Krupnick made a season-high 11 saves at No. 20 Duke. She has held all four opponents to fewer than 10 goals, leading the Big ten and ranking ninth in the country with a goals-against average of 7.00.

Senior midfielder Sheila Nesselbush has scored a pair of goals in back-to-back games and has recorded at least two points three contests this season. Nesselbush is second on the team in points (8) and third in goals (6) and assists (2).

NEWS AND NOTES

LASOTA NEARING TOP 10 IN GOALS
Junior attack Selena Lasota needs just one goal to tie Lindsey Munday for 10th in program history with 140 goals. Lasota became the fastest player in program history to reach 100 career goals during her sophomore season and is on pace to break Shannon Smith's program record of 254. The Campbell River, British Columbia, native is also just 32 points shy of tying Aly Joseph's for 10th in program history in career points.

SPREAD THE WEALTH
The Wildcats have scored 62 goals through their first four games and rank 15th in the country in scoring offense (15.5). The 'Cats have assisted on 30 of their 62 goals and rank 17th in the country in assists per game (7.5). Last season, NU had 16 players score at least one goal but needed just three games to eclipse that mark in 2018 with 18 different Wildcats scoring at least one goal already.

SHUT IT DOWN
The Northwestern defense has been one of the best in the country early this season, ranking seventh in scoring defense (6.5). The 'Cats are seventh in the country in scoring margin (9.0) thanks in part to a defense that has not yet allowed a team to reach double-digit goals. Redshirt first-year goalkeeper Julie Krupnick leads the Big Ten and is ninth in the country in goals-against average (7.50).

RULE THE CIRCLE, RULE THE WORLD
Senior attack Shelby Fredericks has missed the first four games of the season, but still leads all NCAA Division I players with 355 career draw controls. The West Babylon, New York, native is the only player in the country with more than 300 career draw controls. She set the NU single-season record with 160 draw controls a year ago and is just 114 draws shy of Alyssa Leonard's program record of 469.

USA, USA, USA!
Northwestern Combe Family Head Lacrosse Coach Kelly Amonte Hiller was recently named the United States Women's Lacrosse U19 head coach. Amonte Hiller will guide to US through the 2019 FIL Rathbones U19 World Championships in Peterborough, Ontario. Amonte Hiller played in three World Championships for Team USA, leading the Americans to gold medals in 1997 and 2001. She was named to the All-World Team following a silver-medial finish in the 2005 championships.

TRIO OF 'Cats EARN PRESEASON HONORS
Senior Shelby Fredericks (first team), Quinn (first team) and junior Selena Lasota (second team) were named to the Inside Lacrosse Preseason All-American team earlier this week.