March 16, 2011
No. 2 Northwestern (6-0, 1-0 ALC) vs. No. 16 William & Mary (3-2, 0-0 CAA)
Saturday, March 19
Cowboys Stadium
Arlington, Texas 7 p.m. CT
Gametracker:
Live Video Stream: NUSports.com All-Access (Free!)
In-game Updates: @NU_SportsLIVE
Northwestern Weekly Release -- March 16 
EVANSTON, Ill. -- On Saturday, a trailblazing Northwestern squad will take the field in one of finest athletic venues America has to offer, facing No. 16 William & Mary in Cowboys Stadium in Dallas. The affair is part of the inaugural "Dallax" event hosted by womenslax.com and marks the first lacrosse game to be played in the billion-dollar stadium that last month served as the site of Super Bowl XLV.
Wildcats on the Web
Northwestern fans can catch all the action as it unfolds at Cowboys Stadium; the game will be streamed live in its entirety and with play-by-play commentary for no charge on the NUsports.com All-Access page. Supplement your online viewing with live tweets on @NU_SportsLIVE to be filled in on all the behind-the-scenes action at the game.
Scouting the Tribe
2011: 3-2 overall, 0-0 neutral site; No. 16
Last Three Games: W vs. Boston University (15-11), W at Oregon (12-8), L at Virginia (14-13)
Head Coach: Christine Halfpenny (Virginia Tech, 1999). Fourth season at William & Mary (36-38, .486)
Key Players: Grace Golden (Sr., A): 22 goals, 2 assists, 15 draw controls; Maggie Anderson (Sr, A): 13 goals, 1 assists; Sarah Jonson (Sr., D): 16 ground balls, 14 draw controls, 10 caused turnovers; Emily Geary (Sr., GK): 37 saves.
Series Information
Saturday's meeting between Northwestern and William & Mary is a notable one for more than simply the host venue; the 'Cats and Tribe have not gotten together on the lacrosse field since 1991, NU's penultimate season before losing varsity status. William & Mary owns a 4-2 lead in the all-time series, winning four in a row between 1988-91.
Women's Lacrosse World Heads to 'Big D'
This weekend, the eyes of the women's lacrosse community will turn to the inaugural "Dallax" event hosted by womenslax.com, for which NU's contest with William & Mary will serve as the main event. The game will have special meaning for NU sophomore, 2010 third-team All-American and Dallas native Taylor Thornton as well as two starters on the William & Mary squad who hail from the area. The weekend is also composed of several high school games featuring Texas teams as well as youth lacrosse clinics. In establishing the event, womenslax.com aims to bring an unprecedented amount of awareness and support for the sport in Texas, which has been one of the fastest growing women's lacrosse markets in recent years.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit womenslax.com or call 847-563-8672.
Smith Drives Efficient Northwestern Attack
Northwestern's hot start to the year--during which it has averaged 16.5 goals per game, the second-best clip in the nation--has left several players with prominent places among the nation's statistical leaders. Most notable among them is junior Shannon Smith, who currently leads the NCAA in points per game with 6.67, exactly half a point better than Colgate's Colleen Bubnack in second place. Smith also ranks in a tie for first with three helpers per contest and ninth nationally with 3.67 goals per game.
In Control
Freshman Alyssa Leonard has played a large role in NU's ability to possess the ball and set up its potent scoring attack. Leonard is averaging 4.67 draw controls per match, good for fifth in the country, while the Wildcats sit second among all NCAA squads with 17.5 draw controls per game. On March 3, Leonard corraled 10 draw controls, tying a single-game school record that has been achieved only twice before in NU history--once each by Kristen Kjellman and Danielle Spencer.
Coasting in Neutral
Saturday's match in Cowboys Stadium is NU's first neutral-site game of the season. The Wildcats were 4-1 in neutral-site contests a year ago, with their loss in the NCAA championship game marking the first neutral-site loss by an NU squad since its return year to varsity status in 2002. Northwestern is 19-3 on neutral fields under head coach Kelly Amonte Hiller.
Wildcats Blitz Golden Bears, 19-8, in Home-Opener
Back in the friendly confines of Lakeside Field for the first time this season, second-ranked Northwestern powered past California, 19-8, for its sixth straight win Friday afternoon. Junior Shannon Smith supplied the offensive spark once again with four goals and four assists while freshman Kelly Rich dropped a hat trick in her first career contest on the shores of Lake Michigan. Rich later was named ALC Rookie of the Week for her efforts.
2011 Season Tickets On Sale Now
The Wildcats have seven home dates at beautiful Lakeside Field this spring, including four games against 2010 NCAA tournament teams and a pair of American Lacrosse Conference matches. Thanks to the support of Northwestern's passionate fan base, the Wildcats have led the nation in attendance for the past two seasons, averaging just under 1,000 fans per home game in 2010. Adult season tickets for the 2011 campaign are $40, with youth season tickets priced at $25 for fans 18 and younger. A Family Plan is also available for $80, which admits two adults and three children to all seven Northwestern home games. Season tickets can be purchased by contacting the Northwestern ticket office at 888-GO-PURPLE or clicking the ticket link at NUsports.com.
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