Under Ryan Fieldhouse’s blinding lights, the No. 4 Northwestern squad shone bright, defeating Marquette and returning to the victory column.
The 21-3 win comes after the Wildcats (2-1, 0-0 Big Ten) snapped their 22-game win streak against then-No. 8 Notre Dame last week.
For coach Kelly Amonte Hiller, the key to Monday’s success was key to the team’s performance in the draw circle. Between the seven players who tallied a draw control, the team pulled in 17-of-27 draws.
Amonte Hiller said junior midfielder Samantha Smith’s skill level is “unreal” –– which helped NU bounce back. Smith racked up five draw controls, helping her team improve from winning only eight of 28 draws against the Fighting Irish.
Sophomore attacker Madison Taylor said the draw team worked to get on the same page.
“(We) all bought into what we’re trying to do on the draw,” she said. “We all communicate really well and I think this is another good opportunity for us to work together.”
Smith said she was intentional about preparing for draws against the Golden Eagles (1-2, 0-0 Big East). She said she focused on how her opponents executed draws so she could predict where the ball would go and win it.
Other significant contributors to the team’s success were Taylor and graduate student attacker Dylan Amonte, who both scored four goals.
Graduate student midfielder Lindsey Frank converted the game’s opening tally just 22 seconds into the action. Frank also tallied another goal and one assist later in the game.
Graduate student attacker Erin Coykendall led the ‘Cats in the assists column with four, and graduate student attacker Izzy Scane scored a hat trick and added an assist.
This dominant performance was the team’s “reset button,” Taylor said.
Freshman midfielder Taylor Lapointe and graduate student attacker Mary Schumar controlled the fourth quarter. Both Lapointe and Schumar secured one assist and two goals, the first goals of both of their NU careers.
Schumar accomplished this while facing her previous teammates. She left the Golden Eagles as their career assists leader, and ranks fifth on the program’s all-time points chart.
Amonte Hiller also credited junior goalkeeper Cara Nugent for her valiant performance in the cage. The Boxford, Massachusetts native played the entire game, giving usual starter graduate student Molly Laliberty a rest.
Amonte Hiller said Nugent’s hard work earned her the start, and that she doesn’t have any injury concerns with Laliberty.
After conceding a goal in the opening two minutes, Nugent let just two more in during the game. She said her confidence came from her self-trust.
“I play against amazing attackers every day, (so) I’m ready for their shots,” Nugent said. “I just kept telling myself I’m ready for it.”
Nugent also gave her defense a shoutout for giving her “good shots” to try to save.
The team took advantage of its long-range passing accuracy to clear the ball across the field in about five seconds. That, along with quick passing skills, allowed the team to beat Marquette’s defense.
The ‘Cats will hit the road for a Boulder battle with No. 20 Colorado Thursday.
Taylor said the team will continue playing for each other and giving each other confidence.
“We always just play for each other, so them having that belief in me makes it a lot easier for me to go out there and just play freely and more confidently,” she said. “It’s been a lot of fun.”
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