EVANSTON, Ill. – Thirteen different Wildcats found the back of the net as No. 3 Northwestern (3-1) cruised to a commanding 22-5 victory over Niagara (1-2) on Tuesday afternoon at Ryan Fieldhouse. Madison Taylor tied her career high with six goals—all of which came in the first half—while Taylor Lapointe recorded her first career hat trick in the matchup against the Purple Eagles.
WILDCAT WINNER ?? #CatsWin pic.twitter.com/2aCwWs00wh
— Northwestern Lax (@NULax) February 18, 2025
The Wildcats wasted no time asserting their control, with Sam Smith and Madison Taylor converting early free-position goals to put Northwestern up 2-1. From there, the Wildcats' offense exploded. Maddy Taylor netted four goals in the first quarter alone, adding two more before halftime to cap off a six-goal performance in just two quarters of play. Lapointe completed her first career hat trick in the second quarter and by the break, Northwestern held a commanding 16-4 lead.
Northwestern's offensive depth was on full display in the second half, as multiple players contributed to the scoring effort. First -years Claire Marosi and Claire Ratke both netted their first career goals while the Wildcats' defense held strong, limiting Niagara to just one second-half goal. Alexis Ventresca and Noel Cumberland both scored their first goals of the season.
First as a 'Cat! ??
— Northwestern Lax (@NULax) February 18, 2025
Claire Marosi gets on the board ?? pic.twitter.com/7ifO6GR4e7
Three different goalkeepers saw action for Northwestern. Delaney Sweitzer started in net, playing the entire first half. Francesca Argentieri took over in the third quarter, making three stops, before Cara Nugent closed out the game in the fourth quarter.
Key Performances:
- Madison Taylor – 6 goals, 1 assist, 1 caused turnover
- Taylor Lapointe – 3 goals, 1 assist
- Sam Smith – 2 goals, 1 ground ball, 3 draw controls
- Aditi Foster – 2 goals, 1 assist
- Niki Miles – 1 goal, 3 assists
- Alexis Ventresca – 1 goal, 1 assist, 2 ground balls
- Madison Smith –8 draw controls
Next Up
The Wildcats will be back in action on Friday, Feb. 21, at 6 PM CT, when they take on No. 25 Colorado at Ryan Fieldhouse. The game will be streamed live on B1G+, and fans can purchase tickets here.