March 18, 2005
EVANSTON, Ill. - Last year, the Northwestern women's lacrosse team came off final exams and struggled at home with a game Colgate squad before emerging with a late 7-5 victory.
This year, the second-ranked Wildcats are again at home immediately out of exams, this time hosting an unranked California team Sunday at 1 p.m. on the Thomas Athletic Complex turf field. With an eye toward last season, NU head coach Kelly Amonte Hiller is more than a little wary about the Golden Bears sneaking up on her team.
"We have put a lot of emphasis on these first two home games," she said, noting last weekend's 13-6 win over Penn as well as Sunday's tilt. "Knowing that the minds of the players are on their exams, we have shortened practices but tried to accomplish a lot when we have had them.
"What has pleased me the most is the consistency we have shown throughout this week," she said. "I think it is a sign of growth among our players, even since last year, and even more a sign of the leadership we have. Our captains have been doing a great job keeping everyone focused, and we have a host of great players who are keeping their level high in practice. I cannot ask for much more than I have gotten from them this week."
In truth, Amonte Hiller cannot ask for much more to date in the season. Her team has met all expectations, starting the season 6-0 and rolling over its last five opponents by an average of 11.4 goals. Seventeen different players have scored this season, and in every game since the season opener at UNC at least seven different players have scored.
That does not stop Amonte Hiller from being aware that Cal (4-2) can come in here and end the momentum.
"They are an athletic team, and they have won three of their last four including a nice win over Colgate earlier this week," she said. "We are at a point now where teams come in here ready to give us their best effort; we have become a big game for all of our opponents. Cal gave a good James Madison team fits earlier this season, so they will not be intimidated coming in here to play us."
Some notes as the Wildcats get set to host Cal...
* NU and Cal are meeting for the second time, with the Wildcats leading the series 1-0 after last year's 16-4 win in Berkeley.
* NU's 6-0 start is the best in the modern era of lacrosse at NU (since 2002); in the previous era (1982-92), only the 1983 (10-0) and 1987 (6-0) teams can claim similar starts.
* NU is averaging 17.6 goals per game in the last five games, and has had at least seven goalscorers in every game during that run.
* NU has not trailed at any point during the last five games, since its comeback win over North Carolina in the season opener.
* NU is 9-1 at home in its last 10 games dating back to the 2003 season.
* NU has four players with 10 or more goals already this season -- juniors Laura Glassanos (15) and Lindsey Munday (14), and sophomores Aly Josephs (14) and Kristen Kjellman (10).
* Glassanos is the only NU player to score in every game this season; last year, she scored in all but one game.
* Munday also has 14 assists already this season; with two more, she will move onto NU's top-10 single-season list in that category. Munday had scored in every game this season before Penn, but instead of scoring she had four assists against the Quakers.
* Senior goalkeeper Ashley Gersuk became the program's all-time saves leader in last weekend's win over Penn. Her five saves give her 456 for her career, which allowed her to pass Johanna Kung (452) who held the mark from the previous era of lacrosse at NU (1982-92).
* All-America defender Courtney Koester had five draw controls vs. Penn last weekend, giving her 28 this season in six games; no one else on the NU roster has more than nine (Munday). Koester is also second on the team with 11 caused turnovers, one behind leader Lindsay Finocchiaro.