Northwestern Set to Face No. 5 Syracuse in Season Opener

Saturday, February 11

Syracuse, N.Y.

11 a.m. CT

Northwestern

#5 Syracuse

Photo by: photo by John Konstantaras

Northwestern Set to Face No. 5 Syracuse in Season Opener

2/10/2023 11:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse

NORTHWESTERN LACROSSE: GAME INFORMATION
DATE	Opponent	TIME	LOCATION	Watch	Live Stats
Saturday, Feb. 11	No. 5 Syracuse	11 a.m. CT	Carrier Dome Syracuse, N.Y.	ACC Network Extra	Live Stats
Social: Twitter: @NULax \| Instagram: @nu_lax

EVANSTON, Ill. — No. 4 Northwestern will kick off the 2023 season with a heavyweight match-up on the road at No. 5 Syracuse on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 11 a.m. CT. The game will be televised on ACC Network Extra.

10 Things to Know

Northwestern came out on top in the last two meetings with Syracuse, recording a 15-4 win over the Orange in the NCAA Quarterfinals in Evanston to advance to the national semifinals. The Wildcats own a 16-7 record all-time against Syracuse.
The Wildcats ended the 2022 season by making their 13th trip in program history to the NCAA Semifinals, compiling a 16-5 overall record and a 5-1 record in Big Ten play.
After missing the 2022 season due to injury, grad student Izzy Scane will return to the field for the first time since 2021. A Big Ten Preseason Player to Watch, Scane also earned Inside Lacrosse's preseason First Team All-American honors.
The last time Scane was healthy, she posted a record breaking season. Her 6.13 goals per game in 2021 set a single-season NCAA record. She also set program single-season records in goals (98) and points per game (7.75).
Senior Erin Coykendall joins Scane on the Big Ten Preseason Players to Watch list and claimed Second Team All-American honors. Coykendall led Northwestern's offense alongside Lauren Gilbert last season, racking up 37 assists and 45 goals.
The final Wildcat listed as a Player to Watch is 2022 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Samantha White. A utility player for Northwestern, White made her presence known up and down the field last year. White posted six goals, three assists, 45 draw controls and 36 ground balls in her inaugural season with the 'Cats.
The Wildcats added some transfer talent in graduate goalkeeper Molly Laliberty and graduate attacker Hailey Rhatigan. A Tufts grad, Laliberty was named the IWCLA Division III Goalie of the Year for two straight seasons. Rhatigan, a Mercer transfer, led the nation in shots on goal per game in her senior season and led her team with 93 goals.
Northwestern welcomed a number of new faces to the program this season. Seven first-year 'Cats will join the roster Saturday: goalkeeper Francesca Argentieri, attacker Carli Fleisher, attacker Abby LoCascio, attacker Lucy Munro, midfielder Madison Taylor, midfielder Rachel Weiner and defender Kathryn Welch.
In addtiion to Scane and Coykendall, grad students Elle Hansen and Allie Berkery return to don Wildcat uniforms for their fifth season at Northwestern. Though Hansen missed six games due to injury in 2022, she still finished third on the team in assists (14) and fourth in points (32). Berkery started all 21 games for the Wildcats and ranked second on the team in caused turnovers (19).
Two new coaches joined the Wildcat staff this season, with former Ohio State head coach Alexis Venechanos returning to Evanston as an assistant coach. Venechanos served as Northwestern's assistant coach/recruiting coordinator from 2004-06. Charlie Leonard joins the squad as a volunteer assistant coach.