Possible matchup with No. 2 Cavaliers awaits winner of today’s game

By Courtney McCarty

The Daily Northwestern

The Northwestern lacrosse team will face off against Notre Dame today in first-round NCAA championship action — the Wildcats’ first post-season appearance since they gained varsity status three years ago.

After a 14-2 season, the Cats are looking to make a run in the tournament.

NU, which finished the regular season ranked sixth, is favored to beat Notre Dame (12-4), which concluded the regular season ranked thirteenth. Should the Cats advance to the quarterfinals, it would take a strong effort to beat second-seeded Virginia and advance to the Final Four.

NU has a 1-2 all-time record against Notre Dame, but the Cats emerged with a 9-5 victory in this season’s only matchup between the regional rivals on April 20. In that game, the Cats’ defense held Notre Dame’s Meredith SiMonday, a national top-10 scorer, to only one goal.

But the Irish may be looking to avenge the regular-season loss.

“I think there are higher stakes and both teams will come back harder,” said NU assistant coach Danielle Shearer, who graduated last year as Notre Dame’s all-time leading scorer. “They’re led by nine seniors, and they want it a lot. They don’t want their careers to end.”

Many of those seniors played in Notre Dame’s only NCAA appearance in 2002, a quarterfinal exit to tournament victors Princeton.

If the Cats beat the Irish, they would face the winner of the Mt. St. Mary’s (15-4) and No. 2 Virginia (15-3) game. The Mountaineers got their playoff spot by winning a weak Northeast Conference, but the Cavaliers are expected to put them away in their 19th straight post-season showing.

Virginia would be an intimidating challenge to NU. But if the Cats get a quick offensive start, play tight defense and hold the momentum, they’ll have a chance against the Atlantic Coast Conference powerhouse.

Of 16 tournament teams, NU boasts the highest-scoring offense from the regular season, averaging 13.56 goals per game. Although the Cats have no players in the top 20 in total goals scored, they have a balanced attack with at least seven players that can find the net when needed.

Defensively, the Cats only stand behind No. 1 Princeton in regular season goals allowed. NU’s goaltender Ashley Gersuk’s goals-against average puts her third amongst tournament netminders, behind only her counterparts at Princeton and Dartmouth.

But unlike the team’s coaches, who each have tournament experience, no Cats have played in the postseason.

“We’re focused right now, and (Thursday) is going to be a good game,” coach Kelly Amonte Hiller said. “Playing at home will be a huge advantage, but it’s still going to be a battle.”