Northwestern Nukes Duke in Foggy Quarterfinals
by Sean Collins Walsh | Special to Lacrosse Magazine Online | Game Blog
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Northwestern's Danielle Spencer drives on Duke's Danielle Kachulis during a four-goal, two-assist performance in the Wildcats' 18-8 NCAA quarterfinal victory. © TD Paulius/Midwest Lacrosse Photography |
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern will play in its
sixth straight NCAA final four next weekend after beating Duke 18-8
at home in the quarterfinals Saturday.
The No. 2 Wildcats (19-1) opened the game with a 10-0 run and
maintained a balanced attack to down the No. 5 Blue Devils (14-6)
on a foggy Lakeside Field. Five purple-clad players scored three
goals or more.
NU coach Kelly Amonte Hiller said the first half, after which NU
was leading 13-2, was a landmark moment for these Wildcats.
“For this year’s team, that’s probably the best
that we’ve played,” Amonte Hiller said.
“I’ve kind of felt it coming on the last couple weeks.
I felt like we’ve gotten better and better.”
Senior Danielle Spencer notched four goals and two assists, as
well as two yellow cards, in the victory. She also dominated in
draw controls, helping NU best the Blue Devils 14-2 during the
first half.
“In the first half, we were successful because we were going
in twos and threes for these ground balls on the draws. We were
boxing out, and we were just relentless,” Spencer said.
Northwestern beat Duke 19-14 in Evanston earlier this year behind
five goals from junior Brooke Matthews and similar draw dominance
by Spencer.
It was a day for the books in Evanston. Northwestern now holds the
longest postseason win streak in NCAA history, besting
Maryland’s mark of 42 games, to which Amonte Hiller
contributed as a player.
Senior Katrina Dowd also broke an NCAA record Saturday: most
career playoff goals. “Miss May” passed former teammate
Hilary Bowen to top the list with 42 and finished the day with
three goals and one assist.
NU goalie Brianne LoManto recorded 12 saves, a career high.
“Defense really executed our game plan,” LoManto said.
“Some of the shots they were giving were really low angle, so
it was making it easier for me to make the save.”
The Wildcats will take on No. 3 North Carolina in the NCAA
semifinals Friday. An April 18 loss to the Tar Heels is the only
blemish on Northwestern’s record, and the players have not
forgotten.
“I think we were riding the wave at that point,”
Spencer said after the game Saturday. “In order for us to be
successful, we have to leave it all on the field. We didn’t
do that against North Carolina, I felt like we did that moreso
today, and we’re going to have to do that Friday.”
The teams will face off in the evening game, something an Amonte
Hiller team has never done, after No. 1 Maryland takes on Syracuse
in the afternoon.
