Sunday, May 14
Evanston, Ill.
11 a.m. CT
Northwestern
18-1
8
vs
7
#15 Michigan
12-8
1
2
3
4
F
Michigan
2
3
1
1
7
Northwestern
3
1
1
3
8
Photo by: Joshua Hoffman/Northwestern Athletics
No. 1 'Cats Defeat Michigan, Advance to NCAA Quarterfinals
5/14/2023 2:39:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
EVANSTON, Ill. — No. 1 Northwestern and coach Kelly Amonte Hiller welcomed a familiar foe to the confines of Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium on Sunday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Facing No. 15 Michigan for the third time this season, the Wolverines gave the Wildcats all they could handle in a back-and-forth clash, but the 'Cats ultimately emerged victorious courtesy of a valiant defensive stand and a late fourth quarter flurry to win 8-7.
"We were a little bit frantic in the second and third quarter specifically," senior attacker Erin Coykendall said postgame. "But we reset and just chipped away and that was huge for us. We've been in those positions before and we also know that nobody's going to roll over for us."
Northwestern's 18-game win streak has been largely fueled by its legion of attacking weapons, and when Coykendall scored 46 seconds into Sunday's clash, it looked like the 'Cats were gearing up for another impressive offensive display.
Coykendall — as she had done in the previous two meetings against the Wolverines — put the Wildcats on the scoreboard first. Spinning through traffic, she fired a shot into the top of the cage, handing Northwestern a 1-0 advantage. The Spencerport, New York, native's goal was her eighth against Michigan this season.
The Wolverines were quick to respond though, putting a shot past graduate student goalkeeper Molly Laliberty to level the game at 1-1. A quick strike off the free position granted Michigan a 2-1 lead after eight minutes of play.
Graduate student attacker Hailey Rhatigan eventually broke Northwestern's 12-minute scoring drought, firing an underhand shot into the back of the cage to level things at 2-2 in the first quarter. The 'Cats reclaimed the lead shortly after, as Coykendall freed up Scane on a screen. The nation's leading goalscorer took full advantage of the separation, rifling a shot into the top of the cage to reclaim Northwestern's lead.
In the two Big Ten foes' second meeting in a week's span, Michigan did a much better job maintaining pressure on Northwestern's offense, stifling the country's top attack throughout the game. In the teams' first two matchups, the Wildcats closed the first frame holding a 6-2 advantage each game. On Sunday, the 'Cats clung to a mere 3-2 advantage after the first 15 minutes of play.
The Wolverines dominated the second quarter, tallying three goals in an eight-minute span and holding Northwestern to just one score. The Wildcats' lone goal came at the 8:15 mark as Coykendall found senior attacker Dylan Amonte across the front of the cage to level the score, 4-4. Following a goal from Jill Smith, which handed Michigan a 5-4 advantage, the 'Cats headed into the intermission trailing for the first time since Feb. 19.
Still, the halftime deficit could have been even greater if not for Laliberty's shot-stopping efforts. The Tufts University transfer recorded four of her seven saves in the second frame, keeping the Wildcats within striking distance at the intermission.
"The message was 'That half is over and we have a beautiful opportunity to play two more quarters,'" Amonte Hiller said of the halftime speech. "We didn't want to look backwards, we wanted to look ahead and feed off of each other. Control what we can control."
Out of halftime, the two teams' defensive units continued to shine. Though Northwestern forced six turnovers in the third frame — Michigan turned the ball over 21 times overall — the 'Cats were unable to turn the defense into offense, registering just one score on nine shots in the third quarter.
That lone goal came from graduate student attacker Elle Hansen, who tallied her 21st score of the season and tied the game at 5-5. However, the Wolverines were quick to provide a response, reclaiming a one-goal lead in less than two minutes.
By the end of the third quarter, Michigan had the 'Cats flustered, with Amonte Hiller's attack uncharacteristically unable to convert its chance in front of the cage.
Staring down a one-score deficit heading into the final frame, Northwestern needed its offense to wake up. The 'Cats got their response from Coykendall.
"Kelly (Amonte Hiller) brought us in at the end of the third quarter and she was like, 'You guys can control one thing and that's your energy and your effort,'" Coykendall said. "And we got an early goal in that quarter to kind of spark that and brought some energy."
Just 31 seconds into the final frame, the Tewaaraton Award finalist cut inside to the front of the cage and scored, tying the game 6-6. Coykendall's score ignited a three-goal, four-minute run from the Wildcats which saw Rhatigan and junior defender Carleigh Mahoney each score a goal.
Mahoney's goal, her first of the season, was kickstarted by senior midfielder Jane Hansen, who had a team-high five caused turnovers. Mahoney's score ultimately proved to be the game winner as the Wildcats held on, winning 8-7 over the Wolverines.
"Jane (Hansen) was unbelievable today," sophomore defender Samantha White said. "If we weren't getting on the draw, we always knew we could count on Jane to either run the ball up the field or get a back check, get an interception. She was just everywhere on the field."
Survive and advance is the motto of postseason play and though it wasn't pretty, Northwestern did just that against Michigan. Now, the Wildcats turn their attention to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament and a date with No. 8 Loyola-Maryland/Stony Brook on Thursday.
"This game is an incredible learning experience," Amonte Hiller said. "And the one thing that we do well at Northwestern lacrosse is we evaluate and we learn. So very excited for us to evaluate and learn and just go forward with incredible fearlessness."
"We were a little bit frantic in the second and third quarter specifically," senior attacker Erin Coykendall said postgame. "But we reset and just chipped away and that was huge for us. We've been in those positions before and we also know that nobody's going to roll over for us."
WE'RE MOVING ON ??????? pic.twitter.com/H8019s01ph
— Northwestern Lax (@NULax) May 14, 2023
Northwestern's 18-game win streak has been largely fueled by its legion of attacking weapons, and when Coykendall scored 46 seconds into Sunday's clash, it looked like the 'Cats were gearing up for another impressive offensive display.
Coykendall — as she had done in the previous two meetings against the Wolverines — put the Wildcats on the scoreboard first. Spinning through traffic, she fired a shot into the top of the cage, handing Northwestern a 1-0 advantage. The Spencerport, New York, native's goal was her eighth against Michigan this season.
The Wolverines were quick to respond though, putting a shot past graduate student goalkeeper Molly Laliberty to level the game at 1-1. A quick strike off the free position granted Michigan a 2-1 lead after eight minutes of play.
Graduate student attacker Hailey Rhatigan eventually broke Northwestern's 12-minute scoring drought, firing an underhand shot into the back of the cage to level things at 2-2 in the first quarter. The 'Cats reclaimed the lead shortly after, as Coykendall freed up Scane on a screen. The nation's leading goalscorer took full advantage of the separation, rifling a shot into the top of the cage to reclaim Northwestern's lead.
In the two Big Ten foes' second meeting in a week's span, Michigan did a much better job maintaining pressure on Northwestern's offense, stifling the country's top attack throughout the game. In the teams' first two matchups, the Wildcats closed the first frame holding a 6-2 advantage each game. On Sunday, the 'Cats clung to a mere 3-2 advantage after the first 15 minutes of play.
The Wolverines dominated the second quarter, tallying three goals in an eight-minute span and holding Northwestern to just one score. The Wildcats' lone goal came at the 8:15 mark as Coykendall found senior attacker Dylan Amonte across the front of the cage to level the score, 4-4. Following a goal from Jill Smith, which handed Michigan a 5-4 advantage, the 'Cats headed into the intermission trailing for the first time since Feb. 19.
Still, the halftime deficit could have been even greater if not for Laliberty's shot-stopping efforts. The Tufts University transfer recorded four of her seven saves in the second frame, keeping the Wildcats within striking distance at the intermission.
"The message was 'That half is over and we have a beautiful opportunity to play two more quarters,'" Amonte Hiller said of the halftime speech. "We didn't want to look backwards, we wanted to look ahead and feed off of each other. Control what we can control."
Out of halftime, the two teams' defensive units continued to shine. Though Northwestern forced six turnovers in the third frame — Michigan turned the ball over 21 times overall — the 'Cats were unable to turn the defense into offense, registering just one score on nine shots in the third quarter.
That lone goal came from graduate student attacker Elle Hansen, who tallied her 21st score of the season and tied the game at 5-5. However, the Wolverines were quick to provide a response, reclaiming a one-goal lead in less than two minutes.
By the end of the third quarter, Michigan had the 'Cats flustered, with Amonte Hiller's attack uncharacteristically unable to convert its chance in front of the cage.
Staring down a one-score deficit heading into the final frame, Northwestern needed its offense to wake up. The 'Cats got their response from Coykendall.
"Kelly (Amonte Hiller) brought us in at the end of the third quarter and she was like, 'You guys can control one thing and that's your energy and your effort,'" Coykendall said. "And we got an early goal in that quarter to kind of spark that and brought some energy."
Just 31 seconds into the final frame, the Tewaaraton Award finalist cut inside to the front of the cage and scored, tying the game 6-6. Coykendall's score ignited a three-goal, four-minute run from the Wildcats which saw Rhatigan and junior defender Carleigh Mahoney each score a goal.
Mahoney's goal, her first of the season, was kickstarted by senior midfielder Jane Hansen, who had a team-high five caused turnovers. Mahoney's score ultimately proved to be the game winner as the Wildcats held on, winning 8-7 over the Wolverines.
"Jane (Hansen) was unbelievable today," sophomore defender Samantha White said. "If we weren't getting on the draw, we always knew we could count on Jane to either run the ball up the field or get a back check, get an interception. She was just everywhere on the field."
Survive and advance is the motto of postseason play and though it wasn't pretty, Northwestern did just that against Michigan. Now, the Wildcats turn their attention to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament and a date with No. 8 Loyola-Maryland/Stony Brook on Thursday.
"This game is an incredible learning experience," Amonte Hiller said. "And the one thing that we do well at Northwestern lacrosse is we evaluate and we learn. So very excited for us to evaluate and learn and just go forward with incredible fearlessness."
Team Stats
U-M
NU
Shots
20
33
Turnovers
21
12
Caused Turnovers
6
14
Draw Controls
8
11
Free-Position Shots
2
7
Ground Balls
16
16
Game Leaders
Players
G
2
A
1
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
0
CT
0
G
2
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
1
CT
1
G
1
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
0
CT
0
G
1
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
0
CT
0
Players Mentioned
A
/ Women's LacrosseA
/ Women's LacrosseA
/ Women's Lacrosse
M
/ Women's Lacrosse
GK
/ Women's Lacrosse
D
/ Women's LacrosseA
/ Women's Lacrosse
D
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Saturday, May 24
Lacrosse - Maddy Taylor Breaks NCAA Goals Record in Quarterfinal Win (5/15/25)
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