Feb. 16, 2009
Northwestern Lacrosse Weekly Release - Feb. 16, 2009 
Opening Draw
After a successful opening weekend in San Diego, Calif., back in January, Northwestern returns to the turf, traveling to Pittsburgh, Pa., to face Duquesne Tuesday, Feb. 17. Opening draw is scheduled for noon Central time at Rooney Field.
Scouting the Dukes
Duquesne is 0-1 early into the 2009 schedule after falling 22-7 to 11th-ranked Notre Dame Saturday in Pittsburgh. The Dukes finished the 2008 season with an overall record of 8-9, placing third in the Atlantic-10 Conference at 5-3. With only four seniors on the roster, Duquesne may be young, but it doesn't lack experience, returning the 10 leading point scorers from last season. Senior Kathleen McNish lead the Dukes with 74 points (31G, 43A) and is the program's all-time assist leader with 111. She currently ranks second in the nation among active players in assists, trailing only Hannah Nielsen's 143. Senior Ashley Wood lead the team in goals in 2008 with 40, with junior Janna Faulkner (27G), senior Shannon Hadaway (26G) and junior Sarah Carson (21G) each cracking the 20-goal plateau for Duquesne. Defensively is where the question mark lies for the Dukes after losing their top two defenders to graduation. Senior Mollie Montgomery looks to anchor the backfield after causing eight turnovers and scooping up 20 ground balls in 2008. Goalkeepers Caitlin Carducci and Liz Walker split time in net for Duquesne last season, with the junior Carducci looking to get the early nod after posting a 5-7 record with 106 saves in 2008. Head coach Mike Scerbo is in his fourth season with a 26-25 (.510) record with the Dukes, and is 59-49 (.546) in his nine seasons as a head coach.
Series Information
Northwestern and Duquesne meet for the fourth time, with the Wildcats having won the previous three meetings, including a 21-6 victory in Evanston last season. Rochester natives Hilary Bowen and Danielle Spencer each had five goals in the victory while Hannah Nielsen added a goal and four assists. This marks the second time the two teams have met in Pittsburgh, with NU taking a 10-4 decision in 2003.
Nielsen Continues to Close In On NCAA Assist Record
With a pair of assists in the season opener against Denver, Hannah Nielsen draws closer to becoming the all-time assist leader in NCAA history. Nielsen, who is already sits atop the Wildcat record books, currently sits third on the all-time list with 143, six shy of former Johns Hopkins standout Mary Key and trails fellow Australian Jen Adams by just 35 helpers. Nielsen is tied for the single-season assist record, dishing out 69 in 2007, and has amassed an incredible 134 since the beginning of her sophomore season.
Milestone Watch
A handful of Wildcat seniors sit poised to achieve some impressive milestones during the 2009 year. Thanks to her three goals and pair of assists against Denver in the season opener, Hannah Nielsen upped her career points total to 261, seven shy of current assistant coach Lindsey Munday for third place. Nielsen also moved into sole possession of 10th-place on the all-time goals list with 118. Hilary Bowen also moved up the all-time points list as her five goals against the Pioneers upped her career total to 238 and past Kathleen Kochmansky into fifth all-time. The duo also kept a pair of impressive streaks alive, as Bowen has now registered at least one goal in 41 consecutive games, the fourth-best streak in NCAA history, while both she and Nielsen have tallied at least one point in 45-straight games. Meredith Frank currently is ninth all-time in both goals (123) and assists (47), and her 170 career points is on the verge of breaking into the top-10 for career points. Goalkeeper Morgan Lathrop looks to make her mark on the record books as well, as her 424 career saves is within striking range of Ashley Gersuk's school record 526. Gersuk also holds the modern-era record for career save percentage at .492, another mark Lathrop will have her sights on, entering her senior season with a .509 save percentage.
Looking Ahead
Following the game against Duquesne, the Wildcats embark on a tough stretch of four-straight road games against ranked opponents, beginning with 11th-ranked Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., on Friday, Feb. 20. Northwestern also travels to 12th-ranked Vanderbilt, ninth-ranked North Carolina and eighth-ranked Georgetown before the home opener on March 12.
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