March 19, 2009
Northwestern Lacrosse Weekly Release - March 19 
Opening Draw
One of the most intriguing matchups of the regular season will unfold at Lakeside Field this Sunday, March 22, as top-ranked Northwestern welcomes fourth-ranked Syracuse for a 1 p.m. rematch of last season's NCAA semifinals.
Wildcats on the Web
Fans unable to make it to Evanston can still follow every Wildcat goal. Live streaming video of the showdown against the Orange will be available at
NUsports.com, as well as Gametracker live statistics.
Scouting the Orange
Fourth-ranked Syracuse is 6-1 on the year, coming off a 19-11 victory at Towson Wednesday. The Orange once again have a potent offensive attack, led by All-American Katie Rowan's 41 points (25G, 16A). Christina Dove has added to the one-two punch, contributing 23 goals and 10 assists in addition to winning 20 draws, with Halley Quillinan notching 22 goals as well. SU ranks sixth in both scoring offense (16.29 goals per game) and scoring defense (8.14 goals per game), with Lindsay Rodgers anchoring the Orange backfield, winning a team-best 24 draw controls and causing seven turnovers. Bridget Looney has also come on strong in her final season, notching 10 goals, scooping up 10 ground balls and causing 13 turnovers. Goalkeeper Liz Hogan picked up right where she left off last season, making 53 saves already in 2009 with a .482 save percentage and a 8.35 goals against average. Head coach Gary Gait is in his second season at Syracuse with a combined record of 24-4 (.857).
Series Information
Sunday's game marks the seventh meeting between Northwestern and Syracuse with the Wildcats holding a 5-1 series advantage. The Wildcats and Orange met twice last season, with NU using a second-half offensive explosion to defeat Syracuse 19-7 at the Carrier Dome during the regular season, then used a similar game plan to down the Orange 16-8 in the NCAA semifinals in Towson, Md. Hilary Bowen had a pair of huge games for the `Cats, netting a combined 10 goals against the `Cuse, including six in the semifinal victory. Northwestern is 2-0 against Syracuse in Evanston, both of which came during the 2007 season.
Nielsen Seven Helpers Away From Becoming NCAA's All-Time Assist Leader
Hannah Nielsen continues to draw closer to becoming the all-time assist leader in NCAA history, as with her 11 assists in the victories against Hofstra and Rutgers this past weekend, she upped her career total to 172 and is now only seven helpers shy of surpassing fellow Australian Jen Adams as the all-time assist queen. She moved past Mary Key for second-place earlier this season and dished out eight assists against the Scarlet Knights Saturday, the second-best output of her career. Nielsen holds the single-game assist record with 10 against Duquesne on Feb. 17, is tied for the single-season assist record, dishing out 69 in 2007, and has amassed an impressive 163 since the beginning of her sophomore season. She also joined a very elite club this past weekend, becoming just the second Wildcat to notch 300 points in her career. Nielsen enters the weekend with 311 points, second only to Kristen Kjellman's 349.
Bowen Tied For Fourth in NCAA Consecutive Goal Streak
Senior Hilary Bowen continues to establish her reputation as one of the top goal scorers in NCAA history. Bowen, the two-time NCAA Championship MVP and Wildcat single-season goal leader with 81, has registered at least one goal in 48 consecutive games after netting a combined 11 against Hofstra and Rutgers this past weekend, which is tied for the fourth-longest streak in NCAA history. She has proven to be one of the top offensive threats in the country during that time, notching at least two goals in 42 of the 48 outings, including tying a career-best with six goals against the Scarlet Knights. In addition, both Bowen and teammate Hannah Nielsen have each tallied at least one point in 52-straight games.
Sunday's Game Marks Peapod Day at Lakeside Field
Not only will Sunday's game be the highly anticipated showdown with fourth-ranked Syracuse, it also marks Peapod Day at Lakeside Field. Representatives from the online grocer will be on hand as fans will have the chance to win free groceries. Peapod is also offering a special offer to Wildcat lacrosse fans, giving $15 in free groceries with their first order. Visit peapod.com and type in the promo code LAX during checkout to receive the promotion.
For the complete weekly release, click on the PDF link above.