No. 3 Northwestern Lacrosse Hosts Two Games This Week

EVANSTON, Ill. – After a three-game road swing, the No. 3 Northwestern lacrosse team returns home as it hosts a pair of games this week against Rutgers and San Diego State. The Wildcats meet the No. 15 Scarlett Knights at 7:30 p.m. CT on Thursday, April 7, in a game that will air on Big Ten Network. The final non-conference game of the regular season against the Aztecs gets underway at Noon CT on Sunday, April 10, on B1G+, in the first outdoor game at Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium of the season.
 
Last Time Out
Northwestern (10-2, 3-0 B1G) went 2-0 last weekend on its Keystone State road trip, defeating Penn State, 17-6, and Penn, 17-9. Erin Coykendall and Jill Girardi each scored a team-high five goals as the Wildcats recorded their 16th consecutive league win against the Nittany Lions. Girardi racked up 13 draw controls, tying her career-high which she set earlier this year against Syracuse. Defensively, Penn State was limited to only six goals, its lowest since 2020, with Madison Doucette registering nine saves in net.
 
Girardi and Lauren Gilbert tied for the team lead recording four goals apiece as the Wildcats won their sixth game in a row at Penn. Girardi totaled eight draw controls and only needed one quarter to complete a hat trick. After starting the second half on a 6-0 run, NU opened up a 10-goal lead to start a running clock.
 
'Cat Facts
- Northwestern is slotted third in the IWCLA Poll for the second consecutive week, its highest of the season.
- NU leads the Big Ten and ranks seventh nationally in draw controls per game (17.8). The Cats are seventh nationally and second in the Big Ten averaging 16.1 goals per game.
- Girardi leads the Big Ten and ranks third in the country in draw controls per game (10.0).
- Gilbert's 44 goals leads the Big Ten and ranks ninth nationally. Her 63 points are second in the conference.
- Doucette is second in the Big Ten averaging 8.00 saves per game.
- First-year Samantha White has earned back-to-back Big Ten Freshman of the Week awards.
- Dating back to 2019, Northwestern has won 16 consecutive Big Ten games, last falling to No. 2 Maryland (17-13) on April 11, 2019.
 
Series History vs. Rutgers
Northwestern is undefeated against Rutgers (10-2, 2-1 B1G) and is 15-0 all-time in the series. Last season in Piscataway, the Wildcats recorded two wins by scores 22-10 and 21-7. NU has scored 20+ goals in four straight games against the Scarlett Knights.
 
Series History vs. San Diego State
This is the first meeting between the Wildcats and Aztecs (5-6).
 
Up Next
The Wildcats play their regular season home finale and honor their senior at Noon on Saturday, April 16 against Johns Hopkins.