The No. 10 Virginia women’s lacrosse team will take on four-time national champion No. 1 Northwestern Sunday in its final regular season home game. The match marks the first time the two teams have met in the regular season since 1991.
The Cavaliers (10-5, 2-3 ACC) own the all-time series record 5-3; though they were able to beat the Wildcats in the second round of the 2004 NCAA tournament, Virginia fell to Northwestern (13-0, 2-0 ALC) in both the 2005 and 2007 title games.
“This is a big game for the seniors,” senior defender Katie Shannon said. “Not only is it senior day, but we’re facing a team that we lost to in the NCAA championship by two goals in 2007. That is enough to light a fire under us and get us ready for Sunday.”
Although initially ranked No. 4 at the beginning of the season, the Cavaliers have had an up-and-down season. Virginia has posted a worse record at home than on the road this season, going 4-3 at home while notching a 6-2 record away from Klöckner Stadium.
The Wildcats, on the other hand, have dominated their opponents this season. Northwestern possesses the nation’s best offense and second-best defense. During the past four years, they have only lost three games and have won four consecutive national championships. In the Wildcats’ eight games against top-20 teams this season, they have outscored opponents 143-53; overall, the Wildcats have outscored opponents 250-75.
Among the teams thrashed this season by the Wildcats are Syracuse, North Carolina, Duke and Penn State, all of whom Virginia also played this season. The Cavaliers were able to escape with a one-goal victories against Penn State and Syracuse, but lost against the Blue Devils and Tar Heels.
Not only have the Wildcats beaten their opponents, they have embarrassed them with an average margin of victory of 13 goals. Their offense leads the nation, averaging over 19 goals per game and having cracked the 20-goal mark eight times this season. In comparison, the Cavalier offense notched 20 goals for the first time in four years Tuesday night against George Mason, topping the Patriots 21-8.
Virginia and Northwestern will both feature nominees for the Tewaaraton Trophy, awarded annually to the nation’s top player. The Wildcats’ offense is led by three players in particular, each of whom has scored 40 or more goals and dished out 10 or more assists this season. The most decorated of the three is arguably 2008 Tewaaraton Trophy winner senior midfielder Hannah Nielsen, who leads the nation in points and assists per game. The Aussie is the NCAA’s all-time leader in assists and has recorded the two best offensive seasons in Northwestern’s history; she is also well on her way to her third consecutive 100-point season with 89 points on the year.
Joining Nielsen in the Northwestern offensive attack is senior Hilary Bowen, who ranks second in the country in goals per game and sixth in points. The attacker has been named the MVP of the NCAA Championships twice, scoring an NCAA Tournament record 17 goals in 2008.
Danielle Spencer rounds out the three-headed scoring attack; the 6-foot-2 junior midfielder is Northwestern’s third-leading scorer with 42 goals on the season, two fewer than the Cavaliers’ leading scorer, senior midfielder Blair Weymouth.
“They have great players on their team, but our defense practices against great attackers every day in practice,” Shannon said.
Though the Cavaliers do not possess as much offensive depth as the Wildcats, they can hold their own when it comes to scoring goals. A Tewaaraton nominee, Weymouth leads Virginia with 44 goals on the season; she is the only Cavalier this season to eclipse 40 in the category. Weymouth will finish her career in the top-five all-time at Virginia in goals, assists and points and could become the program’s second four-time All-American. Her cohort — senior midfielder Ashley McCulloch — also has been an intricate part of the offense this season, dishing out a team-high 28 assists on the season to go along with her 29 goals. McCulloch recently reached the 100-assist mark for her career, making her only the fourth Cavalier ever to reach the century mark.
The Cavaliers will need offensive production from more than Weymouth and McCulloch, however, if they wish to defeat the Wildcats. Senior attack Jenny Hauser is second on the team in goals with 31 and has shown the ability to step up in big games, scoring six goals against Duke earlier this season.
“They play an aggressive, double-teaming defense so our attack will move the ball quickly to avoid the pressure,” Shannon said.
While both teams boast high-power offenses, defense is equally important to win championships, and Northwestern is no slouch when it comes to shutting down opponents. The Wildcats are only allowing a meager six goals per game, good for second in the country behind Pennsylvania. Their stingy defense is anchored between the pipes by senior goalkeeper Morgan Lathrop. Lathrop has only allowed five goals per contest, while stopping 57 percent of opponents’ shots — both good for second in the country.
The Cavaliers, on the other hand, have flip-flopped their goalkeepers during the last couple of games. Senior Sara Hairfield received considerable minutes against Harvard and George Mason. Hairfield is 2-0 on the season, allowing nine goals per game. Usual sophomore starter, Lauren Benner, has struggled recently, and as of now, coach Julie Myers has not named a starter.
“We need to play tough and execute for the entire game,” Myers said. “Possessions and possession time will be huge. They are dangerous in every spot but the less they have the ball, the less they can score so we’re going to work hard to win every possession possible.”
The one area the Cavaliers may have the advantage in is draw controls, where junior midfielder Brittany Kalkstein is third in the country, averaging close to four a game. Although Northwestern as a team leads the country in draw controls, Kalkstein has the ability to step up and give the Cavaliers a chance to win. A win against Northwestern would secure the Cavaliers a spot in the NCAA Tournament and help solidify a somewhat disappointing season for Virginia. If Virginia loses, however, it will be the first time since 1995 that the Cavaliers have lost six games in the regular season.
Virginia will have to come ready to play to knock off the goliath that is Northwestern.
“Sunday is a huge opportunity for us to not only pick up a quality win, but it would also get us off the bubble for postseason bids,” Myers said. “To end our home season with a huge win would be a perfect reward for a lot of hard work and a great momentum builder going into the ACC tournament starting next week.”
Read More
Thank you, Reece Beekman
By Ben Istvan | 7 hours agoBeekman will leave Charlottesville as the program's all-time leader in steals.
Men’s basketball fills last scholarship, adds Kansas State transfer Dai Dai Ames
By Ben Istvan | YesterdayAmes will provide an offensive surge that the Cavaliers’ collective guard group lacked in 2023-24.
Baseball’s bullpen — previous despair and future repair
By Xander Tilock | YesterdayThe Cavaliers' struggles can be fixed by improved roster management and reliance on consistent relief pitchers.
