Friday, April 25
College Park, Md.
4 p.m. CT
Northwestern
vs
Johns Hopkins
Photo by: Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics
No. 3 ‘Cats Open Big Ten Tournament Against No. 9 Johns Hopkins
4/23/2025 1:00:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
EVANSTON, Ill. – Postseason play begins in earnest on Friday afternoon for No. 3 Northwestern as it aims for its third-straight Big Ten Tournament title this weekend in College Park, Md.
The Wildcats (14-2, 8-0 Big Ten) take on No. 9 Johns Hopkins (12-5, 5-3 Big Ten) in Friday's semifinal tilt, which begins at 4 p.m. CT with live coverage on BTN. NU topped JHU during the regular season, 18-5, on April 3 in Baltimore.
Northwestern captured its third-straight regular season Big Ten title when it dominated then-No. 13 Michigan, 15-6, on April 17 in front of a school record crowd of 3,503 at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium. Later that week, NU capped a perfect Big Ten campaign by erupting for 20 goals in a 20-12 victory at Ohio State. Madison Taylor scored six goals in each game to finish the regular season with an NCAA-high 83 goals while capturing Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors for the third-straight week. Sammy White picked up Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors after holding UM to just three goals in the final three quarters of the Big Ten title clincher and 18 goals for the week.
Earlier this week eight Wildcats earned All-Big Ten honors. Earning unanimous votes for the All-Big Ten first team were junior attacker Madison Taylor and senior defender Sammy White. Senior midfielder Sam Smith and sixth-year defender Jane Hansen joined Taylor and White on the first team. Senior midfielder Emerson Bohlig, graduate defender Grace Fujinaga, graduate attacker Niki Miles and graduate goalkeeper Delaney Sweitzer earned second team All-Big Ten honors. Additionally, first-year defender Mary Carroll landed on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team while senior midfielder Serafina DeMunno represents the 'Cats as a Sportsmanship Team Honoree.
Northwestern in the Big Ten Tournament
Since the Big Ten added the sport in 2015, Northwestern is 13-5 (.722) in the Big Ten Tournament, winning the conference tournament four times (2019, 2021, 2023 and 2024). The Wildcats have won four of the last five Big Ten Tournaments, including the last two tournaments (2024 in Evanston), going 8-1 in that stretch. NU's only loss in the Big Ten Tournament in since 2019 came on May 6, 2022, a 13-5 loss to Rutgers in the 2022 Big Ten Tournament semifinals.
Prior to joining the Big Ten, the Wildcats competed in the American Lacrosse Conference from 2002-14, winning the ALC Tournament six times, including five straight between 2007-11, which was the last time the Wildcats won more than two-straight conference tournaments.
As the 2025 regular season Big Ten champion, Northwestern is enjoying a first-round bye for this week's conference tournament. The 'Cats take on No. 9 Johns Hopkins, in Friday's semifinal round. Earlier this season, NU defeated then No. 4 JHU, 18-5, on April 3 in Baltimore. The Wildcats scored six-straight goals after falling behind the Blue Jays 1-0 and took a 6-3 lead into the second quarter with Madison Taylor scoring two goals and assisting three others. The 'Cats kept up the pressure in the second, scoring eight of the next nine goals to initiate a running clock, leading 14-4 with 1:34 left in the half and taking a 14-5 lead into the break. NU shut out JHU in the second half and Taylor Lapointe's goal two minutes into the third quarter put the running clock in play for the rest of the game. Taylor led the way with eight points on four goals and four assists while Niki Miles (2 goals, 3 assists) chipped in five points and both Lapointe and Lucy Munroe recorded hat tricks.
Northwestern holds a 22-4 all-time record against Johns Hopkins, winning the last 10 matchups. The Wildcats haven't lost to the Blue Jays since 2014 (12-11 in double overtime on April 13). These teams met in last year's Big Ten Tournament semifinals, a tightly contested 13-12 victory in Evanston. Madison Taylor (5 goals, 1 assist) guided the 'Cats' attack with six points while Erin Coykendall (3 goals, 2 assists) and Dylan Amonte (3 goals) also recorded hat tricks. NU jumped out to a 5-1 lead after the first quarter, but JHU battled back to get it to a 10-10 game entering the fourth. Taylor broke the deadlock with two goals 1:07 apart to make it a 12-10 game with 11:14 left, and she assisted on Coykendall's eventual winner with 3:31 remaining.
A Northwestern win on Friday will advance it to Sunday's final, which begins at 3 p.m. CT and air on BTN.
The Wildcats (14-2, 8-0 Big Ten) take on No. 9 Johns Hopkins (12-5, 5-3 Big Ten) in Friday's semifinal tilt, which begins at 4 p.m. CT with live coverage on BTN. NU topped JHU during the regular season, 18-5, on April 3 in Baltimore.
Northwestern captured its third-straight regular season Big Ten title when it dominated then-No. 13 Michigan, 15-6, on April 17 in front of a school record crowd of 3,503 at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium. Later that week, NU capped a perfect Big Ten campaign by erupting for 20 goals in a 20-12 victory at Ohio State. Madison Taylor scored six goals in each game to finish the regular season with an NCAA-high 83 goals while capturing Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors for the third-straight week. Sammy White picked up Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors after holding UM to just three goals in the final three quarters of the Big Ten title clincher and 18 goals for the week.
Earlier this week eight Wildcats earned All-Big Ten honors. Earning unanimous votes for the All-Big Ten first team were junior attacker Madison Taylor and senior defender Sammy White. Senior midfielder Sam Smith and sixth-year defender Jane Hansen joined Taylor and White on the first team. Senior midfielder Emerson Bohlig, graduate defender Grace Fujinaga, graduate attacker Niki Miles and graduate goalkeeper Delaney Sweitzer earned second team All-Big Ten honors. Additionally, first-year defender Mary Carroll landed on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team while senior midfielder Serafina DeMunno represents the 'Cats as a Sportsmanship Team Honoree.
Northwestern in the Big Ten Tournament
Since the Big Ten added the sport in 2015, Northwestern is 13-5 (.722) in the Big Ten Tournament, winning the conference tournament four times (2019, 2021, 2023 and 2024). The Wildcats have won four of the last five Big Ten Tournaments, including the last two tournaments (2024 in Evanston), going 8-1 in that stretch. NU's only loss in the Big Ten Tournament in since 2019 came on May 6, 2022, a 13-5 loss to Rutgers in the 2022 Big Ten Tournament semifinals.
Prior to joining the Big Ten, the Wildcats competed in the American Lacrosse Conference from 2002-14, winning the ALC Tournament six times, including five straight between 2007-11, which was the last time the Wildcats won more than two-straight conference tournaments.
As the 2025 regular season Big Ten champion, Northwestern is enjoying a first-round bye for this week's conference tournament. The 'Cats take on No. 9 Johns Hopkins, in Friday's semifinal round. Earlier this season, NU defeated then No. 4 JHU, 18-5, on April 3 in Baltimore. The Wildcats scored six-straight goals after falling behind the Blue Jays 1-0 and took a 6-3 lead into the second quarter with Madison Taylor scoring two goals and assisting three others. The 'Cats kept up the pressure in the second, scoring eight of the next nine goals to initiate a running clock, leading 14-4 with 1:34 left in the half and taking a 14-5 lead into the break. NU shut out JHU in the second half and Taylor Lapointe's goal two minutes into the third quarter put the running clock in play for the rest of the game. Taylor led the way with eight points on four goals and four assists while Niki Miles (2 goals, 3 assists) chipped in five points and both Lapointe and Lucy Munroe recorded hat tricks.
Northwestern holds a 22-4 all-time record against Johns Hopkins, winning the last 10 matchups. The Wildcats haven't lost to the Blue Jays since 2014 (12-11 in double overtime on April 13). These teams met in last year's Big Ten Tournament semifinals, a tightly contested 13-12 victory in Evanston. Madison Taylor (5 goals, 1 assist) guided the 'Cats' attack with six points while Erin Coykendall (3 goals, 2 assists) and Dylan Amonte (3 goals) also recorded hat tricks. NU jumped out to a 5-1 lead after the first quarter, but JHU battled back to get it to a 10-10 game entering the fourth. Taylor broke the deadlock with two goals 1:07 apart to make it a 12-10 game with 11:14 left, and she assisted on Coykendall's eventual winner with 3:31 remaining.
A Northwestern win on Friday will advance it to Sunday's final, which begins at 3 p.m. CT and air on BTN.
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