It was only a preseason tournament, and three of the four contest were only half games, but the Northwestern lacrosse team pulled off a coup this weekend, defeating the No. 2 and 10 teams in nation.
The Wildcats beat No. 2 Duke 4-2 in a half game and No. 10 North Carolina 9-3 in a full game. They also defeated Denver and Villanova in half games, 3-0 and 6-2. All games were played on Saturday as part of the South of the Border Tournament hosted by Duke and North Carolina.
NU coach Kelly Amonte-Hiller said she was most impressed by her team’s win over the Tar Heels.
“The game was played on a full-sized field, it was the last game of day and our team was tired,” Amonte-Hiller said. “With each goal, with each big defensive play, they showed that they can play with anyone.”
Sophomore Courtney Flynn said the Cats performance should open some eyes about the fledgling program, which is just beginning its second year at the varsity level.
“People kind of look down upon us because lacrosse isn’t that big in the Midwest, and we’re only a second-year team,” she said. “A lot of people will look at the wins and probably think it’s a fluke, but we just keep beating top-ranked teams and it’ll prove to them we’re going to be a really good team.”
Flynn scored a goal in each of the four games and picked up two assists against the Tar Heels.
“Courtney showed she had the speed to play midfield and the finesse to play the attack, as well,” NU coach Kelly Amonte-Hiller said.
The Cats also got sparks on offense from freshmen Lynda McCandlish, Laura Glassanos and Kacee Must. Glassanos had five goals, McCandlish had four and Must racked up a hat trick against Villanova.
Amonte-Hiller said the Cats’ success over the weekend didn’t come from the outstanding individual performances, but instead from solid team play.
“Pretty much everyone stepped up and made individual contributions,” she said. “The kids came together as a team defensively and offensively and united.
“They had a type of chemistry that was exciting to watch.”
Amonte-Hiller knows a bit about chemistry. In 1995 and 1996, she was the NCAA Player of the Year, leading Maryland’s lacrosse team to back-to-back national championships. She also played on the U.S. national team that won consecutive world championships in 1997 and 2001.
Amonte-Hiller said she couldn’t compare the Cats with the other teams she played for, but she said she’s excited by the athletes she’s recruited to come to Evanston.
“I know what it takes to win a championship,” she said. “I know the path, I have some credibility. Our success so far proves that we’re on the right track, but we have to stay focused.”
The Cats start their regular season on March 1 against Brown.
