Northwestern University Athletics
Saturday, April 4
Evanston, Ill.
2 p.m. CT
Northwestern
vs
USC
No. 6 Northwestern to Host USC in ‘Lacrosse Day in Chicago’ Clash
4/3/2026 10:34:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
EVANSTON, Ill. — After knocking off a pair of top-10 opponents in a five-day span, No. 6 Northwestern will take on USC at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium on Saturday, April 4. Opening draw is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network.
This Saturday, the lakeside facility will play host to the second annual "Lacrosse Day in Chicago." The day's first matchup — slated for 11:30 a.m. CT — features No. 1 Richmond men's lacrosse against No. 5 Notre Dame. Then, the Wildcats (8-3, 2-1 Big Ten) will compete in their third consecutive nationally televised game.
Last season, the Wildcats shattered their program attendance record in the first annual Lacrosse Day in Chicago, when 3,503 fans watched NU defeat Michigan 15-6 on April 17, 2025. The 'Cats will look to set a new highmark in their weekend tilt.
NUMBERS TO KNOW
Northwestern leads the Big Ten in draw controls per game (17.90), points per game (25.30), scoring offense (16.50 goals per game), scoring margin (7.10 GPG) and shots on goal per game (24.64).
Madison Taylor and Maddie Epke combined for 13 points as No. 11 Northwestern knocked off No. 7 Johns Hopkins 16-12 on March 29 inside Ryan Fieldhouse. Taylor led all scorers with six goals. Epke posted a season-high seven points (five goals, two assists).
Junior midfielder Noel Cumberland chipped in two goals and an assist. The Fallston, Md., native has amassed six points in the past two games.
Graduate student midfielder Annabel Child, graduate student attacker Olivia Adamson and junior attacker Taylor Lapointe each added a goal.
Sophomore attacker Aditi Foster, first-year midfielder Kate Ratanaproeksa and senior midfielder Lucy Munro all turned in a pair of assists. Eleven of NU's 16 goals were assisted.
Graduate student goalkeeper Jenika Cuocco recorded 11 saves on a 47.8% save percentage.
Gallery: (3-29-2026) Lacrosse vs. No. 7 Johns Hopkins
SCOUTING USC
The Trojans (6-7, 0-5 Big Ten) enter Saturday's affair on a five-game losing streak. Six of the program's seven defeats have come against ranked competition.
With USC playing its first-ever Big Ten game in Evanston, NU welcomes back a program legend in Trojans head coach Lindsey Munday. A two-time All-American, Munday won two national titles as a player in 2005 and 2006.
The Wildcats won three consecutive national championships when Munday served as an assistant coach on Combe Family Head Lacrosse Coach Kelly Amonte Hiller's staff.
The Trojans average 10.15 goals per game and relent an average of 12.23 goals per game.
Emma Bunting leads the USC offense with 36 points. Her 23 assists rank sixth in the conference.
Between the pipes, Ellie Thomas backstops the Trojan defense. Her 37 saves rank 10th in the Big Ten.
SERIES STUFF
Saturday will mark the eighth all-time meeting between the two programs. Northwestern holds a 5-2 lead in the series history and won the most recent meeting 17-8 on March 30, 2025.
NEXT UP
Northwestern will travel to College Park, Md. to take on No. 1 Maryland on Thursday, April 9. Opening draw is scheduled for 4 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network.
This Saturday, the lakeside facility will play host to the second annual "Lacrosse Day in Chicago." The day's first matchup — slated for 11:30 a.m. CT — features No. 1 Richmond men's lacrosse against No. 5 Notre Dame. Then, the Wildcats (8-3, 2-1 Big Ten) will compete in their third consecutive nationally televised game.
Last season, the Wildcats shattered their program attendance record in the first annual Lacrosse Day in Chicago, when 3,503 fans watched NU defeat Michigan 15-6 on April 17, 2025. The 'Cats will look to set a new highmark in their weekend tilt.
Saturday on the lake! ????
— Northwestern Lacrosse (@NULax) March 31, 2026
It's officially "Lacrosse Day in Chicago" week in Evanston...get ready for an unforgettable day of elite lacrosse at the best lacrosse field in the world!
Tickets: https://t.co/yVH6ssvXbI
Gates open at 10am April 4th pic.twitter.com/uPxK7fcK73
NUMBERS TO KNOW
Northwestern leads the Big Ten in draw controls per game (17.90), points per game (25.30), scoring offense (16.50 goals per game), scoring margin (7.10 GPG) and shots on goal per game (24.64).
- 416: Madison Taylor's career points tally, which ranks No. 1 among all active NCAA Division I players. She and Izzy Scane are the only Wildcats in program history to eclipse the 400-point mark. Taylor ranks seventh in the NCAA's all-time scoring leaderboard. She is 67 points away from tying Scane's program career points record of 483.
- 299: Taylor leads active NCAA DI players in career goals. With a Big Ten-high 54 goals in 11 games in 2026, Taylor has jumped into No. 2 in NU history and No. 8 in NCAA history. She is a goal away from becoming just the second player in Big Ten history to post 300 career goals.
- 675: Jenika Cuocco's career saves figure, the highest among all active NCAA Division I players. This season, Cuocco ranks second in the Big Ten in saves (93).
- 524: Draw controls pulled down by Maddie Epke in her career thus far. She leads all active NCAA Division I players in career draw controls and ranks eighth in NCAA Division I history.
- 1: Teams in the past two seasons to beat two top-10 opponents in the same calendar week. Northwestern accomplished that feat, defeating then-No. 1 UNC 17-16 on March 25 and then-No. 7 Johns Hopkins 16-12 on March 29.
Madison Taylor and Maddie Epke combined for 13 points as No. 11 Northwestern knocked off No. 7 Johns Hopkins 16-12 on March 29 inside Ryan Fieldhouse. Taylor led all scorers with six goals. Epke posted a season-high seven points (five goals, two assists).
Junior midfielder Noel Cumberland chipped in two goals and an assist. The Fallston, Md., native has amassed six points in the past two games.
Graduate student midfielder Annabel Child, graduate student attacker Olivia Adamson and junior attacker Taylor Lapointe each added a goal.
Sophomore attacker Aditi Foster, first-year midfielder Kate Ratanaproeksa and senior midfielder Lucy Munro all turned in a pair of assists. Eleven of NU's 16 goals were assisted.
Graduate student goalkeeper Jenika Cuocco recorded 11 saves on a 47.8% save percentage.
SCOUTING USC
The Trojans (6-7, 0-5 Big Ten) enter Saturday's affair on a five-game losing streak. Six of the program's seven defeats have come against ranked competition.
With USC playing its first-ever Big Ten game in Evanston, NU welcomes back a program legend in Trojans head coach Lindsey Munday. A two-time All-American, Munday won two national titles as a player in 2005 and 2006.
The Wildcats won three consecutive national championships when Munday served as an assistant coach on Combe Family Head Lacrosse Coach Kelly Amonte Hiller's staff.
The Trojans average 10.15 goals per game and relent an average of 12.23 goals per game.
Emma Bunting leads the USC offense with 36 points. Her 23 assists rank sixth in the conference.
Between the pipes, Ellie Thomas backstops the Trojan defense. Her 37 saves rank 10th in the Big Ten.
SERIES STUFF
Saturday will mark the eighth all-time meeting between the two programs. Northwestern holds a 5-2 lead in the series history and won the most recent meeting 17-8 on March 30, 2025.
NEXT UP
Northwestern will travel to College Park, Md. to take on No. 1 Maryland on Thursday, April 9. Opening draw is scheduled for 4 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network.
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/ Women's LacrosseLacrosse - Kelly Amonte Hiller Previews Lacrosse Day in Chicago on B1G Today (4/1/26)
Wednesday, April 01
Lacrosse - Northwestern Tops No. 7 Johns Hopkins 16-12 (3/39/26)
Sunday, March 29
Lacrosse - Down Goes No. 1: ’Cats Win 17-16 in OT (3/25/26)
Thursday, March 26
Lacrosse - ’Cats Down Oregon 17-3 in Road Matchup (3/21/26)
Saturday, March 21
