Midway through the first half of Saturday’s win over Notre Dame, freshman midfielder Erin Fitzgerald received the ball and sprinted down the field, weaving through several Fighting Irish defenders before firing an authoritative shot that found the back of the net.
In her first NCAA tournament game, Fitzgerald finished with three goals and an assist. But it was that sequence in particular that grabbed coach Kelly Amonte Hiller’s attention and reminded her of another 5-foot-4 New Yorker on her squad-senior attacker Katrina Dowd.
“After that play, I looked back to the bench and I go, ‘Was that Katrina?’ I mean it looked exactly like her,” Amonte Hiller said. “It was a tremendously skilled play, and it got our bench so pumped up. Erin has tremendous skill and tenacity and heart and she’s capable of those types of plays. It was exciting to see her do it.”
Fitzgerald is no stranger to the Irish. Her three scores tied her total from Northwestern’s 15-5 regular-season victory over Notre Dame, which was her career-high at the time.
While Fitzgerald’s output was nearly the same across both games, Dowd’s was much different. The Irish effectively contained the Wildcats’ leading scorer to one goal and one assist in the first contest. This time around, the Tewaaraton Award finalist broke free, tallying five goals and three assists in NU’s 19-7 win.
“It was a new game: We were a different team when we played them,” Dowd said. “I wasn’t going to let my last game (affect) this game. It was a clean slate. We went out and just ran the offense like it’s supposed to be run and the openings were there.”
Dowd has demonstrated a knack for making opportunities for herself even when it looks like there’s no hope, leading Notre Dame coach Tracy Coyne to call her footwork and stick skills “amazing.” Dowd often uses her quick cutting ability to create space and then takes unorthodox shots, such as diving while shooting.
Dowd’s shot of choice Saturday was an around-the-back attempt as she neared the right side of the goal with 17 minutes left in the first half. With Notre Dame goalie Ellie Hilling not expecting a shot, the ball found the back of the net.
“It’s definitely the best opportunity I have in that situation,” Dowd said. “I don’t try to be fancy with it, it’s just a much better angle shooting back here than putting it right to her high stick. The way Shannon gave me the pass, it was fluid to just throw it behind the back.”
Dowd had a comparable freshman campaign to Fitzgerald’s ongoing season. Fitzgerald has 26 goals and four assists after Saturday’s performance and started six games for the Cats. Dowd started five games in her first season while notching 17 goals and seven assists.
Like Fitzgerald, Dowd had an opportunity to contribute immediately upon arriving in Evanston. Fitzgerald hopes she can progress like Dowd, in that her production on the field increases and she becomes more of a leader off the field.
“I’m learning from Katrina every day, ” Fitzgerald said. “She’s such a good role model and just playing with her helps me. Watching her, playing with her, it’s easy to learn from her, seeing the way she carries herself on the field.”
Coyne said she was curious as to how NU’s freshmen would respond as the Cats move on in the NCAA tournament. As teams key in on star performers like Dowd, Amonte Hiller has made it clear the younger players are going to be the deciding factor in repeating as national champions.
With Fitzgerald’s three goals, Ali Cassera’s two scores and Taylor Thornton’s five draw controls, it appears the newcomers are up to the challenge.
“That’s going to be key for us next week as well, we have to get performances from multiple people,” Amonte Hiller said. “It can’t just be our three top scorers, and defensively as well, it just can’t be our low defenders. We have to get output from our middies.”
