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NCAA News Archive - 2007
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Northwestern slows pace, hastens talk of dynasty
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The NCAA News
They’re officially calling it a dynasty in Evanston, Illinois, now that Northwestern won its third consecutive Division I Women’s Lacrosse Championship with a 15-13 victory over Virginia. The win completes a 21-1 season and a 62-2 record over the last three years.
“We have developed something special here at Northwestern,” coach Kelly Amonte Hiller said. “We have developed our own little niche in the Chicago area. Ours is different (than Maryland’s run of championships from 1996 to 2001), but we are excited about what we have established at Northwestern so far.”
The Wildcats responded quickly after the Cavaliers scored twice in the first 90 seconds. A 7-0 run put the Wildcats up comfortably at the half, 11-5.
The Cavaliers rallied after the half, scoring four times in three minutes. At that point, the Wildcats slowed the game to halt Virginia’s momentum and protect a 14-13 lead. Northwestern’s Katrina Dowd scored the game’s final goal with a little than two minutes left.
Sophomore Hilary Bowen, named most outstanding player of the tournament, said the call to slow down the offense was the right one.
“Whatever it takes to win a national championship, I’ll do it,” she said. “That’s what it took right then. If the crowd is going to boo and get into it, it just makes it that much more exciting.”
Virginia’s Megan Havrilla said she didn’t let the tactic bother her.
“I knew eventually we would get the ball back,” she said. “We were getting ready for that to happen.”
The back-and-forth battle wasn’t a surprise to Amonte Hiller, who knew her team had a target on its back all season, even after an opening-game double-overtime loss to North Carolina.
“I had a feeling today was going to be hard-fought,” she said. “When you’ve been here before, people are gunning for you.”
Virginia coach Julie Myers said she and her players were proud of making it to the championship game, and she credited Northwestern for playing a “great game.”
“I am also very proud of my team for the effort they put forth out there,” she said. “We played a different style tonight — we went much quicker than what we are used to.”
Joining Bowen on the all-tournament team were teammates Christy Finch, Aly Josephs, Kristen Kjellman and Hannah Nielsen. Also honored were Virignia’s Kaitlin Duff, Ashley McCulloch and Jess Wasilewski; Duke’s Caroline Cyer and Kim Imbesi; and Karen Jann and Hillary Renna from Pennsylvania.
Quarterfinals
Northwestern 14, Syracuse 9; Duke 12, Johns Hopkins 6; Penn 9, Maryland 7; Virginia 14, North Carolina 8.
Semifinals
Northwestern 8 4 — 12
Penn 0 2 — 2
Northwestern scoring: Aly Josephs 5, Kristen Kjellman 3, Hilary Bowen 2, Meredith Frank 1, Hannah Nielsen 1.
Penn scoring: Becca Edwards 1, Chrissy Muller 1.
Shots: Northwestern 21, Penn 20. Goalkeeper saves: Northwestern (Morgan Lathrop) 7, Penn (Sarah Waxman 3, Emily Szelest 1) 4.
Virginia 3 11 — 14
Duke 8 5 — 13
Virginia scoring: Blair Weymouth 4, Megan Havrilla 3, Jess Wasilewski 3, Kate Breslin 2, Ashley McCulloch 1, Megan O’Malley 1.
Duke scoring: Caroline Cryer 4, Kristen Waagbo 3, Rachel Sanford 3, Michelle Menser 2, Danielle Kachulis 1.
Shots: Virginia 44, Duke 23. Goalkeeper saves: Virginia (Kendall McBrearty 4, Lauren Benner 0) 4, Duke (Kia Imbesi) 16.
Championship
Northwestern 11 4 — 15
Virginia 6 7 — 13
Northwestern scoring: Hilary Bowen 5, Katrina Dowd 3, Meredith Frank 2, Aly Josephs 2, Hannah Nielsen 1, Kristen Kjellman 1, Casey Donohoe 1.
Virginia scoring: Megan O’Malley 3, Megan Havrilla 2, Ashely McCulloch 2, Kaitlin Duff 2, Blair Weymouth 1, Brittanhy Kalkstein 1, Kate Breslin 1, Jess Wasilewski 1.
Shots: Northwestern 28, Virginia 23. Goalkeeper saves: Northwestern (Morgan Lathrop) 7, Virginia (Kendall McBrearty) 8.
“We have developed something special here at Northwestern,” coach Kelly Amonte Hiller said. “We have developed our own little niche in the Chicago area. Ours is different (than Maryland’s run of championships from 1996 to 2001), but we are excited about what we have established at Northwestern so far.”
The Wildcats responded quickly after the Cavaliers scored twice in the first 90 seconds. A 7-0 run put the Wildcats up comfortably at the half, 11-5.
The Cavaliers rallied after the half, scoring four times in three minutes. At that point, the Wildcats slowed the game to halt Virginia’s momentum and protect a 14-13 lead. Northwestern’s Katrina Dowd scored the game’s final goal with a little than two minutes left.
Sophomore Hilary Bowen, named most outstanding player of the tournament, said the call to slow down the offense was the right one.
“Whatever it takes to win a national championship, I’ll do it,” she said. “That’s what it took right then. If the crowd is going to boo and get into it, it just makes it that much more exciting.”
Virginia’s Megan Havrilla said she didn’t let the tactic bother her.
“I knew eventually we would get the ball back,” she said. “We were getting ready for that to happen.”
The back-and-forth battle wasn’t a surprise to Amonte Hiller, who knew her team had a target on its back all season, even after an opening-game double-overtime loss to North Carolina.
“I had a feeling today was going to be hard-fought,” she said. “When you’ve been here before, people are gunning for you.”
Virginia coach Julie Myers said she and her players were proud of making it to the championship game, and she credited Northwestern for playing a “great game.”
“I am also very proud of my team for the effort they put forth out there,” she said. “We played a different style tonight — we went much quicker than what we are used to.”
Joining Bowen on the all-tournament team were teammates Christy Finch, Aly Josephs, Kristen Kjellman and Hannah Nielsen. Also honored were Virignia’s Kaitlin Duff, Ashley McCulloch and Jess Wasilewski; Duke’s Caroline Cyer and Kim Imbesi; and Karen Jann and Hillary Renna from Pennsylvania.
Quarterfinals
Northwestern 14, Syracuse 9; Duke 12, Johns Hopkins 6; Penn 9, Maryland 7; Virginia 14, North Carolina 8.
Semifinals
Northwestern 8 4 — 12
Penn 0 2 — 2
Northwestern scoring: Aly Josephs 5, Kristen Kjellman 3, Hilary Bowen 2, Meredith Frank 1, Hannah Nielsen 1.
Penn scoring: Becca Edwards 1, Chrissy Muller 1.
Shots: Northwestern 21, Penn 20. Goalkeeper saves: Northwestern (Morgan Lathrop) 7, Penn (Sarah Waxman 3, Emily Szelest 1) 4.
Virginia 3 11 — 14
Duke 8 5 — 13
Virginia scoring: Blair Weymouth 4, Megan Havrilla 3, Jess Wasilewski 3, Kate Breslin 2, Ashley McCulloch 1, Megan O’Malley 1.
Duke scoring: Caroline Cryer 4, Kristen Waagbo 3, Rachel Sanford 3, Michelle Menser 2, Danielle Kachulis 1.
Shots: Virginia 44, Duke 23. Goalkeeper saves: Virginia (Kendall McBrearty 4, Lauren Benner 0) 4, Duke (Kia Imbesi) 16.
Championship
Northwestern 11 4 — 15
Virginia 6 7 — 13
Northwestern scoring: Hilary Bowen 5, Katrina Dowd 3, Meredith Frank 2, Aly Josephs 2, Hannah Nielsen 1, Kristen Kjellman 1, Casey Donohoe 1.
Virginia scoring: Megan O’Malley 3, Megan Havrilla 2, Ashely McCulloch 2, Kaitlin Duff 2, Blair Weymouth 1, Brittanhy Kalkstein 1, Kate Breslin 1, Jess Wasilewski 1.
Shots: Northwestern 28, Virginia 23. Goalkeeper saves: Northwestern (Morgan Lathrop) 7, Virginia (Kendall McBrearty) 8.
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