Despite offensive struggles, the Wildcats secured a dominant win with stellar defense. Madison Taylor also hit a significant career milestone.
Raindrops couldn't stop people from pouring into Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium for "Lacrosse Day in Chicago." As the sun emerged from behind the clouds, the 'Cats sealed the fest in front of the record-breaking 5,805 attendants.
On Saturday, No. 6 Northwestern overwhelmed USC 11-5 for its four-game winning streak in the university’s second annual midseason lacrosse event. Despite the dominant final margin, Northwestern's stagnant offense and a season-high 21 turnovers offered the Trojans opportunities throughout the afternoon.
Madison Taylor led with four goals and two assists while reaching a career milestone — her 300th goal over four seasons at Northwestern. Aditi Foster followed with three goals, and goalie Jennika Cuocco recorded five saves.
Taylor took the first attempt from the right post, but her shot drifted wide. Kate Ratanaproeksa found a lane for a follow-up shot in the next play, delivered by Taylor, to give Northwestern an early lead.
The 'Cats immediately built a 2-0 advantage in the first two minutes. Noel Cumberland added the second goal, striding through stick checks from the left side and slamming it home.
Northwestern then lost ball control as the Trojans attempted to shift momentum. With possession, Kaylee Fravert cut in for a close shot but sailed high above the crease, interfered with by Cuocco.
As Jaylen Rosga picked up a ground ball for a transition shift, Northwestern pushed its advantage to three after Taylor, who had struggled to convert earlier, delivered to Foster for another finish.
After a Taylor turnover, the Trojans sustained a long possession to threaten the 'Cats. However, Cuocco stood firmly in front of the crease, blocking USC's Alex May's quick shot. She eventually claimed a thrilling ground ball to seal another defensive stand.
“(Cuocco) really made some big saves and some timely ones, and it gives everyone confidence on the field,” the ‘Cats coach Kelly Amonte Hiller said.
Cumberland appeared to light up the second quarter with a powerful goal, dodging body contact and darting downward for a swing. However, the goal was disallowed after review, and she was issued a yellow card.
Both teams remained scoreless for several minutes. Olivia Adamson drilled a long shot outside the circle, but it flew high off the bar. Taylor's follow-up shot missed the target, and USC's Hannah Barron's counter also drifted wide.
Northwestern's fifth goal finally came at 7:20 of the second quarter. Adamson broke free from numerous checks and fed Taylor Lapointe on the left post. The junior capitalized on the space for an easy finish.
Adamson then went down awkwardly with a potential injury, limping off the field with help from medical staff. Foster stepped up for her second goal, rocketing the ball from the far right post and extending a six-goal cushion.
The Trojans' first goal came late in the second quarter when Emma Bunting fed Lily Neilson for a quick finish. USC stormed back as Fravert converted the team's second goal, closing the gap to four before halftime.
“When we had breaks (in halftime), we were just talking about being aggressive,” Amonte Hiller said. “We just got to clean that up if we want to be able to play well.”
Taylor responded to USC's resilience at the start of the third quarter. The 'Cats' leading scorer emerged from behind the crease and collected a pass from Hannah Rudolph, converting a crossing drive under pressure. She rejuvenated with her third goal on a cut from the right, delivered by Lapointe's volley in the center. Her scoring prowess propelled Northwestern to a renewed six-goal lead.
“We were trying to stay consistent throughout the whole game,” Taylor said. “It’s a good opportunity for us to reset, and I think we can do a better job coming out of those timeouts.”
Maddie Epke's free-position goal capped the third quarter for a 9-2 cushion.
Northwestern remained aggressive entering the final frame. Following Rudolph's shot that hit the post, Epke fought for the ground ball to resume the play. Foster scored her third goal at the start of the fourth quarter.
But the unwavering Trojans burst out with two quick goals to reduce the deficit, forcing Northwestern to call a timeout with eight minutes remaining. Cuocco came up with a crucial block to reject Fravert's shot. A minute later, she dove for another save to deny May's close-range attempt. However, her prowess couldn't fully resist USC's pressure as the 'Cats' backline remained sloppy. Fravert drilled another attempt with about three minutes to go.
Northwestern sealed the victory in the final minute after Taylor strided from the central point and buried the ball. The ‘Cats will travel to College Park to face a newly No.1 Maryland team in April. 9 at 4 p.m. CT.