Feb. 10, 2006
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EVANSTON, Ill. - Though no one will ever forget the magical 2005 season that brought Northwestern its first NCAA team title since 1941, there comes a time when a team must move on and shift its focus on what lies ahead.
That time has arrived.
Top-ranked and defending NCAA champion Northwestern Wildcats will travel to College Park, Md. for a showdown with the No. 9 Maryland Terrapins on Sunday, Feb. 12 at Noon CT.
The game will be played at the Maryland Lacrosse & Field Hockey Complex and can be listened to live at www.wmucsports.com, or followed online at www.umterps.com.
As if a showdown of two top 10 teams isn't enough hype in its own right, the match-up is made even more intriguing as head coach Kelly Amonte Hiller and her coaching staff will be going up against their alma mater for the very first time. Amonte Hiller led Maryland to two NCAA titles during her playing days at UM from 1993-96 and won two national player of the year awards. Further, Maryland head coach Cindy Timchal served as the head coach at NU from 1982-90.
Northwestern and Maryland have never met on the lacrosse field.
"This will be a great test for us early in the season," Amonte Hiller said. "Maryland is one of the most storied programs in the country. We are excited about the challenge they present. Maryland graduated a lot of their top defenders and attackers, but still have a lot of firepower back, have a lot of good young players and are very well coached."
NU, who enters the game riding a 21-game winning streak, returns four IWLCA All-Americans, including Lindsey Munday and Kristen Kjellman who finished second and third nationally in scoring in 2005. Also back is second team all-Americans Laura Glassanos and Sarah Albrecht.
The Wildcats will be without the services of 2005 ALC Goalie of the Year Ashley Gersuk who was lost to graduation, but have two very strong goalies waiting to fill the void in sophomore Abby Bangser and freshman Morgan Lathrop.
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