Feb. 15, 2012
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No. 1 Northwestern (1-0, 0-0 ALC) at No. 5 Duke (2-1, 0-0 ACC)
Sunday, Feb. 19
Koskinen Stadium
Durham, N.C. 11 a.m. CT
Live Stream (fee required): GoDuke.com
Live Stats: GoDuke.com
Live Twitter Updates: @NU_SportsLIVE
Northwestern Weekly Release -- at Duke | BUY NU Lacrosse Season Tickets!
EVANSTON, Ill. -- After blitzing No. 6 Stanford, 18-6, in its 2012 season-opener, top-ranked Northwestern heads to the opposite coast this week to square off with No. 5 Duke Sunday in Durham. The 'Cats are in search of their eighth straight win in the series with the Blue Devils.
Scouting the Blue Devils
2012: 2-1, 0-0 ACC, 1-0 home, No. 5 IWLCA
Last Three Games: L at Vanderbilt (7-5), W at William & Mary (18-9), W vs. Bucknell (25-3)
Head Coach: Kerstin Kimel (Maryland, 1993); 17th year at Duke; 206-106 at Duke
Key Players: Kerrin Maurer (Fr., A): 6g, 8a; Emma Hamm (Sr., A): 3g, 5a, 16 draw controls; Molly Quirke (So., M): 6g, 2 ground balls
In Goal: Molly Mackler (Sr.): 6.54 GAA, 19 saves, .514 save percentage
NOTE: Duke will play Friday evening at Richmond before hosting Northwestern Sunday.
Series Information
Northwestern's run of seven straight wins against Duke has not come without its share of dramatics. Last year, the No. 2 and No. 3-ranked teams squared off in Evanston on April 2, when the 'Cats came back from a three-goal second-half deficit and ended the game on a 7-2 run to steal a 12-10 victory. Goalkeeper Brianne LoManto keyed the win with eight second-half saves and a season-high 11 for the game, while her counterpart, Mollie Mackler, recorded 20 saves and kept NU to a 1-for-9 success rate on 8-meter chances.
Duke is coming off its sixth-ever appearance in the NCAA semifinals in 2011 when it finished the season 15-5. This year, the Blue Devils are 2-1 and coming off a tough 7-5 defeat to NU's ALC brethren Vanderbilt, in which Duke was limited to 0-of-3 on free position chances while Vandy finished 6-of-7.
Last Time Out
Top-ranked Northwestern handled a challenging season-opening road test with relative ease last Friday, outscoring No. 6 Stanford 11-2 in the second half to secure an 18-6 victory at Cagan Stadium. Shannon Smith and Erin Fitzgerald each posted hat tricks to lead a group of 12 Wildcat goal-scorers. Northwestern was aided by a 20-6 advantage on draw controls, led by the nine collected by sophomore Alyssa Leonard. For Stanford, the loss snapped a string of 22 consecutive wins at Cagan Stadium dating to Feb. 20, 2009.
Smith, Thornton Named to Tewaaraton Watch List
The University Club of D.C. announced on Feb. 15 the 2012 Preseason Tewaaraton Award Watch List, a selection of many of the nation's top players and the early contenders to take home the sport's top honor at the end of the season. Fifty-three players were named to the list on the women's side, including Northwestern senior Shannon Smith and junior Taylor Thornton. Smith is looking to become the third player in NU lacrosse history to win the award multiple times after bringing home the 2011 trophy last spring. Thornton, the 2011 IWLCA National Defender of the Year, is a do-it-all threat on both ends of the field who is one of just seven defensive players tabbed to this year's Tewaaraton Watch List.
For the complete list of competitors on the 2012 Tewaaraton Award Watch List, visit InsideLacrosse.com.
Northwestern's defense in 2012 is led by a stalwart crew of returners including goalkeeper Brianne LoManto. Now in her third and final season as a starter, LoManto boasts a 42-4 career record in the cage with 317 saves and two runs to the national championship game under her belt. In front of her on defense is last season's IWLCA Defender of the Year, Taylor Thornton, along with multi-year contributors Lacey Vigmostad, Christy Turner and Maria Tedeschi. Last year, the Wildcats ranked eighth in the nation with an 8.57 goals against average and did not allow more than 10 goals in any of their six postseason contests.
Amonte Hiller Against the Atlantic Coast
Kelly Amonte Hiller, a former All-American at Maryland, has been able to continue the success against ACC opponents she got used to in her playing days. Since taking over the reins of Northwestern in 2002, the Wildcats have played 33 games against Atlantic Coast opponents, posting a 25-8 record in the past eight seasons including a 12-1 mark in Evanston. Northwestern was 6-0 vs. the ACC in 2011 after vanquishing North Carolina in the semifinals and then-No. 1 Maryland in the title game.
Northwestern vs. The ACC Since 2002
Boston College: 1-0 (1.000); Last: Northwestern 11, Boston College 8 (2011)
Duke: 8-2 (.800); Last: Northwestern 12, Duke 10 (2011)
Maryland: 3-1 (.750); Last: Northwestern 8, Maryland 7 (2011 NCAA Championship)
North Carolina: 9-2 (.818); Last: Northwestern 11, North Carolina 10 (2011)
Virginia: 5-1 (.833); Last: Northwestern 8, Virginia 4 (2011)
Virginia Tech: 1-2 (.333); Last: Northwestern 12, Virginia Tech 11 (2004)
Thinking Big Picture
Northwestern remains in the midst of one of the most remarkable runs in modern collegiate athletics having reached the national championship game in seven straight seasons, bringing home the title six times. Since the start of the 2005 season, the Wildcats are 148-7 in all games, including a 71-1 mark at home. Northwestern is 39-2 against ALC foes in that span and has not lost a home game to a conference opponent since May 6, 2004.
Amonte Hiller Featured in Upcoming Big Ten Icons Episode
In a year-long series that debuted in October, 2011, the Big Ten Network is profiling one coach from all 12 conference institutions who they consider to be a Big Ten icon. Kelly Amonte Hiller is Northwestern's representative on the list -- making her the lone active coach to be profiled -- and is the subject of a 30-minute feature that debuts on Saturday, Feb. 18 (8:30 p.m. CT) on BTN. Other coaching legends profiled in the series include Indiana's Bobby Knight (men's basketball), Nebraska's Tom Osborne (football) and Iowa's Dan Gable (wrestling).
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