ND Wins at Northwestern #3 17-15; First Win There Since '02
by dillon77 (2020-02-15 06:07:55)
Post Reply Return to Arlotta Stadium

- Upset win: ND was #6 and Northwestern in Maverik Poll; #9 for the Irsh and #4 as reported by U.S. Lacrosse Magazine.

- Maddie Howe had 4 goals, while Samantha Lynch and frosh Madison Ahearn and Kasey Choma both had 3. Lynch scored her 100th career goal during the game, while attacker Ahearn also picked up 2 assists.

Howe has started off the season with back-to-back 4-score games.

Ahearn has had two straight games of 3 goals and 2 assists to begin her collegiate career. She was Inside Lacrosse's 2nd ranked player of 2019, only after Irish teammate, middie Kasey Choma (who had a hat trick today).

- According to U.S.Magazine, defense down the stretch was key:
"It was Notre Dame’s defense that sealed the win. Junior goalie Bridget Deehan finished with 12 saves, and the Wildcats struggled to convert on offensive opportunities down the stretch, turning the ball three times within the game’s final three minutes."

- Goalie Bridget Deehan has a career-high 12 saves.

- Coach Halfpenny attributed part of the win to the Irish getting in front:
“We put ourselves in a position that Northwestern typically finds themselves in: We had them playing catch-up, instead of us playing catch-up,” Notre Dame coach Christine Halfpenny said. “And that’s a different way to play. When you’re playing from behind, it takes a lot out of you. And we didn’t put ourselves in that position tonight.”

- Away Win over a top-ranked team is a notable acheivement that will grab the poll's attention and also help with seeding way down the road. One of the major impediments to the Irish in the post season is continually having to head to Evanston to play in the "Wildcat" bracket, where they might win the first game, only to lose to Northwestern.

- Quick Turnaround for Irish, who return to South Bend to play Central Michigan on Sunday at noon in Loftus. They then have a week off before playing another traditional rival -- Ohio State -- in Loftus.



Replies: