Northwestern
8-2
Penn State
6-4
Wildcats Fall Short in Overtime on the Road at Penn State
3/23/2024 12:23:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
University Park, Pa. – On Friday evening, No. 1 Northwestern (8-2, 1-1 B1G) was upset on the road by Penn State (6-4, 2-0 B1G) 14-13 in overtime at Panzer Stadium. The game, which was played outdoors, was broadcast on Big Ten Network.
The Wildcats were led by Izzy Scane (5 goals on a team-high 10 shots), Madison Taylor (2 goals and 2 assists), Erin Coykendall (2 goals and 1 assist) and Dylan Amonte (2 goals). Sisters Samantha and Madi Smith (8 and 5) and Scane (4) led the team in draw controls. Kristin O'Neill led Penn State with 6 goals, including the overtime winner, on a team-high 9 shots.
How It Happened
The two teams traded goals to open the match and then the Nittany Lions jumped ahead 3-1. The 'Cats battled back with goals by Lindsey Frank and Scane to end the first quarter knotted, 3-3.
The second frame saw the Wildcats score the first four goals, with the Nittany Lions answering with the final two. Northwestern led 7-5 at halftime, outshooting their opponents 21-17 and leading in draw controls 9-4. Scane and Amonte both scored twice in the first half.
The Nittany Lions outscored NU 5-3 in the third quarter. Scane scored her third goal of the game and Taylor got on the board, scoring twice.
Scane scored two more in the fourth and Coykendall scored to tie it up, 13-13, with just over one minute remaining in the game. A huge defensive stop at the end of the match sent the reigning national champs and Nittany Lions to overtime. The winner by O'Neill was scored at 1:17 of OT.
After a PSU response, Erin had the answer.
— Northwestern Lax (@NULax) March 23, 2024
A must see goal from Coykendall ?? pic.twitter.com/32oZOCHmNu
NU outshot their opponents 36-28 and won the draw control battle 20-10. The loss ended a 7-game winning streak for the Wildcats. They are now 1-1 in Big Ten play.
Game Notes
- Madi Smith, who had 5 draw controls tonight, earned her second consecutive Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor this past week.
- Scane hit the 40-goal mark for the fourth time in her NU career (2019, 2021, 2023, 2024).
- Four of the final five Wildcats regular season games will be televised nationally. Big Ten Network games include versus Rutgers (March 30), at Maryland (April 6) and at Michigan (April 21). The game at North Carolina (March 25) will air on ESPNU.
Up Next
Northwestern will play at No. 12 North Carolina on Monday, March 25. Faceoff against the Tar Heels is at 3:30 p.m. CT. The game will air on ESPNU.
