For diehard Northwestern fans, the football team didn’t play on Nov. 10, 2012. The Wildcats’ heartbreaking loss to Michigan on that day is affectionately known to some fans as the “Amnesia Bowl” because of their desire to forget it.
NU lacrosse fans will be blacking out Saturday’s 22-4 loss to Florida.It may not have been as heartbreaking as the Cats’ loss to the Wolverines in football, but it stung just as much.
Good news for Cats fans came when NU’s football team bounced back from disappointment with three consecutive wins,most notably the Gator Bowl. How the lacrosse team will respond is still to be determined, but if the past is any indication, Notre Dame better watch out Wednesday.
Last season, Florida came to Evanston and edged NU 8-7 on April 21.The following Wednesday, the Fighting Irish paid a visit to Evanston and made their way back to South Bend, Ind., with a 17-7 loss.
The same situation is happening this season, and I expect a similar result to play out.
For one thing, Florida became the first team to score 20 goals on NU since 2002, and the loss was the worst for the Cats in the era of coach Kelly Amonte Hiller. When you lose as badly as NU did Saturday, it is easy to forget about the loss and forge on. That is exactly what the Cats will do.
If you don’t believe me, consider this: NU has lost 11 times in the past nine seasons, including this year, and only once did those losses occur in consecutive games. Although that statistic is truly remarkable, it shows how resilient the Cats have been under Amonte Hiller. They just do not lose twice in a row, and they are able to fix all the minor issues that caused them to lose in the first place.
So all the numbers say NU will win, but what about the intangibles? That’s really where NU has the advantage.
Amonte Hiller is the best coach in the country and one of the best motivators in women’s lacrosse. Her desire to win and passion for the game are unmatched, and that is why NU became a national power so quickly. She won’t let her team lose two straight games, especially after being embarrassed on the road.
The pride factor is always an important variable in the game. When a team loses as badly as NU did to Florida, it is natural for the team to want to show the country it is not as bad as its last game. The Cats are one of the best teams in the country and NU is much better than Saturday’s game shows, needless to say.
Losing by 18 goals is embarrassing. However, it will be a good thing for NU not only against Notre Dame, but also for the rest of the year. The Cats have the chip on their shoulder, and the Fighting Irish better be ready for the purple machine heading their way.
