LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Junior Sheila Nesselbush and sophomore Shelby Fredericks each scored a pair of goals, but they were all the sixth-ranked Northwestern squad could muster against a stingy Louisville defense Thursday as the Wildcats fell to the No. 12 Cardinals at UofL Lacrosse Stadium, 10-4.
The Wildcats finished the first month of the season 1-3 against four-ranked ACC opponents on the road and finally return to Evanston for their home opener next Tuesday, March 8 against Marquette at 3 p.m.
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It appeared the 'Cats would snap their two-game losing streak out of the gates on Thursday as Nesselbush gave them a 1-0 lead on an 8-meter just 1:45 into the game. After the Cardinals evened things up, Fredericks scored a free-position of her own by going behind-the-back to give Chicago's Big Ten Team a 2-1 advantage.
The lead didn't last long however as Julia Wood scored back-to-back goals at the 21:27 and 20:23 marks of the first half to give the Cardinals a lead they never relinquished.
Northwestern was held without a goal for a sretch of 30:13 before Fredericks went five-hole on Brittany Reed for the first goal of the second half. The tally cut the deficit to 5-3, but Louisville responded with a pair of unanswered goals to push their lead back to four, 7-3.
Nesselbush stayed resilient for her second goal of the game with 18:59 remaining, corralling a ground ball after her first shot hit the post and scoring to cut the deficit to 7-4. The Cards against responded though, scoring two goals in stretch of 14 seconds just three minutes later to put the game away.
Fredericks matched a career high with three ground balls to go with her two goals, while sophomore Lindsay Darrell led the Wildcats with three draw controls. Louisville won the draw battle, 9-7.
Louisville sophomore goalkeeper Brittany Reed finished with a career-high 13 saves. This marks the third game this season that an opposing keeper has finished with double-digit saves agains the 'Cats.
The Wildcats finished the first month of the season 1-3 against four-ranked ACC opponents on the road and finally return to Evanston for their home opener next Tuesday, March 8 against Marquette at 3 p.m.
***SEASON TICKETS ON SALE***
It appeared the 'Cats would snap their two-game losing streak out of the gates on Thursday as Nesselbush gave them a 1-0 lead on an 8-meter just 1:45 into the game. After the Cardinals evened things up, Fredericks scored a free-position of her own by going behind-the-back to give Chicago's Big Ten Team a 2-1 advantage.
The lead didn't last long however as Julia Wood scored back-to-back goals at the 21:27 and 20:23 marks of the first half to give the Cardinals a lead they never relinquished.
Northwestern was held without a goal for a sretch of 30:13 before Fredericks went five-hole on Brittany Reed for the first goal of the second half. The tally cut the deficit to 5-3, but Louisville responded with a pair of unanswered goals to push their lead back to four, 7-3.
Nesselbush stayed resilient for her second goal of the game with 18:59 remaining, corralling a ground ball after her first shot hit the post and scoring to cut the deficit to 7-4. The Cards against responded though, scoring two goals in stretch of 14 seconds just three minutes later to put the game away.
Fredericks matched a career high with three ground balls to go with her two goals, while sophomore Lindsay Darrell led the Wildcats with three draw controls. Louisville won the draw battle, 9-7.
Louisville sophomore goalkeeper Brittany Reed finished with a career-high 13 saves. This marks the third game this season that an opposing keeper has finished with double-digit saves agains the 'Cats.