While all the attention Wednesday was on senior attacker Madison Taylor being selected first in the inaugural WLL College Draft, it was her supporting offensive cast that helped to dismantle No. 22 Rutgers’ defense and win 18-6.
It wasn’t like Taylor was absent against the Scarlet Knights (10-6, 4-3 Big Ten) — far from it, actually. No. 2 Northwestern’s top scorer finished the day with six goals, two assists and four draw controls, but it was the Wildcats’ (12-3, 6-1 Big Ten) total arsenal of scoring threats that left Rutgers vulnerable.
“We’re just doing a great job of playing together and focusing on what we’re doing, whether we’re going against a man or a zone, being able to be adaptable and being able to switch no matter whatever defense they’re playing,” Taylor said.
Junior midfielder Noel Cumberland brought in a hat-trick, while also providing one ground ball, one caused turnover and one draw control. After tying her previous career-high in goals against Penn State on Sunday, Cumberland’s three goals Wednesday marked a new personal best.
After starting off with only two goals in the first six games, the 5-foot-11 veteran has tallied 14 scores in the last nine games.
“She’s just a warrior,” coach Kelly Amonte Hiller said. “She’s been working for several years to get to this point on all aspects of her game — physical, mental, everything — and it’s just really cool to see her find that confidence.”
Sophomore attacker Aditi Foster raked in a hat-trick of her own, along with one assist. The Philadelphia native is averaging a strong 2.75 goals over her last four games.
Foster had six total points across last year’s NCAA Division I tournament as a freshman and, with another year under her belt, she is poised to tack on some more this time around.
Junior midfielder Taylor Lapointe chipped in two goals and as many assists. The last time the 5-foot-9 junior failed to score was back on Feb. 9 against Colorado.
Only a couple of minutes after Taylor was drafted to the WLL, senior attacker Maddie Epke was selected with the No. 15 pick by the Boston Guard. Epke and Taylor were the only two players designated as attackers to get drafted.
Epke hustled hard on Wednesday, coming away with five draw controls alongside a goal and an assist. The James Madison transfer is the NCAA’s active leader in draw controls, and Amonte Hiller praised her “offensive ability” postgame.
The ’Cats rank fourth best in the country in goals per game and seventh in the country in total assists.
While its veteran star in Taylor may shine the brightest, the ’Cats have a full constellation of offensive weapons, enough to chart a course back to the national championship game.
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