The Wildcats claw back into the top-10 rankings after stunning upsets last week.
Despite encountering early-season hurdles, Northwestern women's lacrosse has returned to the top-10 in national rankings across the board.
According to the latest polls, Northwestern sits sixth in the IWLCA rankings. The Wildcats also crack into other major top-10 lists, placing fifth in USA Lacrosse Magazine and fourth in Inside Lacrosse, showcasing their depth and competitiveness as they pursue championship aspirations.
After enduring consecutive losses to Syracuse and Ohio State that dropped them out of the top-10, the Wildcats have roared back with three straight victories, including stunning upsets over then-No. 1 North Carolina and then-No. 7 Johns Hopkins last week. While the offensive arsenal has remained potent, enhanced defensive play has fueled the bounce-back momentum.
"We're just super focused. I think our biggest thing we were working on was kind of having fun as a team and loving each other," Maddie Epke said after the 'Cats beat Johns Hopkins on Sunday. "I feel like first half of the season, we were struggling in that area, but now we've really locked in, and you've kind of seen it on the field...it's great to see the progression that we are capable of doing this."
The resurgence began Wednesday in Chapel Hill, where Northwestern stunned the top team in the country 17-16 in overtime. Madison Taylor, the 'Cats' leading scorer with 54 goals and 18 assists through 11 games, delivered the overtime winner to snap the Tar Heels' 31-game winning streak. Taylor roamed behind the crease, juked a defender with a hesitation move and swept the ball into the net as she fell to the turf. Jennika Cuocco anchored the defensive effort with 12 saves, while Epke dominated the draw circle with a season-high 15 controls.
Building on that momentum, the 'Cats returned home Sunday and dismantled Johns Hopkins 16-12 at Ryan Fieldhouse. Despite a tight first half that saw Northwestern lead just 8-7 at intermission, the 'Cats broke out in the third quarter and established a four-goal cushion they never relinquished.
Taylor continued her dominance with six goals, while senior transfer Epke exploded for a career-high five goals and two assists. The victory marked Northwestern's 12th consecutive win over Johns Hopkins and cemented the 'Cats' status as legitimate national title contenders.
Northwestern will stay in Evanston for its next outing, hosting USC at the Martin Stadium for the program's "Lacrosse Day in Chicago" midseason event on Saturday, April 4, at 2 p.m. CT as they look to extend their winning streak to four games.