Boston — National lacrosse championship or not, the Northwestern-Duke NCAA semifinal was unquestionably the season’s definitive game Friday.
In a thrilling, back-and-forth contest that brought Duke coach Kerstin Kimel to tears, the Wildcats defeated the Blue Devils 11-10 for a thrilling overtime victory in Boston. Senior Sarah Albrecht notched the game winner for NU with 3:37 remaining in the extra period.
With the win, the Cats advance to the finals of the NCAA tournament. They also avenged a mid-season loss at Duke, NU’s only stumble over the last two years.
Junior Kristen Kjellman notched four goals for NU, but Morgan Lathrop was the Cats’ brightest star. The freshman keeper made ten stops in goal, including a game-saver with just 12 seconds remaining in regulation.
“I don’t really remember (the save),” Lathrop said. “I think I was just hoping to get a stick on it at that point.”
In a showdown billed as the battle of the country’s best offenses, neither team was able to takecommand. The game featured eight ties and seven lead changes, and the biggest lead held at any point by either squad was two goals.
In the end, it was NU’s one overtime score that made all the difference.
“All year, people have been talking about both of our offenses,” Duke senior Katie Chrest said. “And I think that both of our defenses stepped up today, and that was the difference.”
The teams traded goals early, neither taking more than a one-score lead through the game’s first 20-plus minutes. Kjellman, junior Aly Josephs, and freshman Meredith Frank provided the initial offense for NU.
The first break came with 5:25 remaining in the first half, when goals from Kjellman and senior Laura Glassanos gave the Cats a 6-4 advantage.
Shortly after a Blue Devils timeout, NU regained the ball and had an opportunity to grab a three-goal edge. Frank had an open look after getting a pass directly in front of the Duke net, but senior Megan Huether made the save, her first of the game, and kept the Devils within two.
Huether’s offense quickly repaid the favor, scoring twice within 11 seconds and entering the half tied with the defending NCAA champions 6-6.
“(Assistant coach Scott Hiller) and I were talking on the sidelines (about Frank’s shot),” NU coach Kelly Amonte Hiller said. “We were like, ‘Oh, that could have been a big one for us.’ That was a big momentum shift, even before Duke scored their fifth goal.”
Duke came out strong to start the second, netting two quick goals to jump ahead 8-6. But NU responded immediately, scoring twice within 17 seconds to tie the game at eight.
The Cats briefly took the lead with the day’s second Munday-to-Kjellman goal, but Duke roared back with two scores in just 11 seconds to seize a 10-9 lead with just 12:19 remaining.
An NU goal from Kjellman re-tied the game with 6:03 to go. After a few missed opportunities from both teams, the Blue Devils gained possession and held the ball for over three minutes, looking for the last shot.
Duke’s final chance sailed wide, however, going out of bounds with 12 seconds left and allowing the Cats to kill the remaining clock and send the contest into overtime.
In overtime, which is divided into two, three-minute halves, Albrecht tallied the only goal of the first period, scoring with 37 seconds remaining. It proved to be the game-winner.
“I think Sarah was a possessed woman,” Amonte Hiller said. “She’s a fifth-year senior. This is her last opportunity in front of a home crowd. I think she just wanted it.”
Played in wet conditions after a steady rain soaked Boston throughout Friday afternoon, the game was delayed an hour and 15 minutes by thunder and lightning. Despite the weather, fans floodedNickerson Field to see the nation’s top-two teams face off. Many of those in attendance were middle- and high school-aged girl’s lacrosse players.
For Kjellman, who like many of the Cats is a Massachusetts native, the game’s proximity to home proved to be extra special.
“It’s great to have so much support out there for our entire team,” Kjellman said. “I love this city, and it (is too bad) that we don’t play around her much during the season. It’s nice to come back to New England and play again.”
Reach Ben Larrison at [email protected].
