Northwestern Leaves Little Doubt

Win over Hopkins has `Cats on top of lacrosse world going into NCAAs

May 6, 2007

By Alexander Pyles

Special to CSTV.com

 

BALTIMORE, Md. - Northwestern's Hannah Nielsen could see the momentum shifting away from her team and knew she had to get things turned around.

 

After heading into the half with a 10-1 lead over Johns Hopkins in the American Lacrosse Conference tournament's championship game, the Wildcats had let the Blue Jays get back into the game in the second half.

 

Johns Hopkins came out after intermission a different team, running off four straight goals and taking advantage of Northwestern's overly aggressive play by scoring two of those goals on free position shots after Wildcat fouls. The Blue Jays had worked themselves back into the game, drawing the score to 10-5 less than five minutes into the half.


 

 

 

That is when Nielsen sprang into action. Following Hopkins' four straight scores, the sophomore attack fed Meredith Frank inside for Northwestern's first score of the half. Just over a minute later, Nielsen found Kristen Kjellman for another score.

 

"Coach reemphasized to us [during a timeout] that we had to get to the groundballs," said Nielsen, whose clutch performance won her the tournament's Most Valuable Player award. "The attack didn't even get hands on ball during the five minute span where Hopkins scored those five goals. We knew we had to turn it around."

 

Nielsen's assists keyed a 7-0 second half run that essentially put the game out of reach for the Blue Jays, as the Wildcats dominated down the stretch to win their third straight ALC conference title, and the very first ALC Tournament crown, 22-6.

 

"We tried to do some things a little different in the second half," Johns Hopkins head coach Janine Tucker said following the loss. "We got a nice little run, and we tried to get things back to where we would have been in the game. Then we made a couple mistakes and they started coming up with draws."

 

Despite the loss, Tucker remained upbeat, preferring to look at the game as a wake-up call before the NCAA Tournament begins next weekend. The Blue Jays still expect to be invited to the NCAA's annual competition.

 

"We played one of the strongest schedules in the country," Tucker said. "We had some big wins. I think that we are feeling very fortunate and excited to have the chance to play in NCAA Tournament if that comes to fruition, but we also have work to do."

 

Northwestern came into the weekend's ALC Tournament as the odds-on favorite to win the first ever tournament championship game and left little doubt that they are perhaps the best team in the nation after Sunday's convincing win, and after beating Penn State 19-7 in the ALC semifinals Friday.

 

The offense for the Wildcats (17-1) controlled the tempo throughout the tournament, and the regular season. Sunday marked the 13th time Northwestern scored 15 or more goals in a game.

 

"We have so many weapons, if you try to shut one person off, or try to focus on one attack, we have six or seven other people that can score," head coach Kelly Amonte-Hiller said of her prolific offense. "The win gives us good momentum heading into the NCAA tournament."

 

Kristen Kjellman, who scored eight points on five goals and three assists to tie Nielsen, knows that because of the versatility the Wildcats have offensively, it will be very tough for teams to match up with them down the road.

 

"I think that's what has made us so good all year long," Kjellman said. "I think that anyone can have a big day, if they're keying on certain people, other people can just step up."

 

After the trophy presentation, the Northwestern sideline could barely contain their excitement with the NCAA Tournament on the horizon. Official seeding for the competition will be announced tomorrow.

 

"I think everyone really excited about it," Nielsen said. "This is what you play for all year. We're hoping we get a good seed, and then hope we can ride it to the NCAA Championship."

 

Though the team was pleased with their play this weekend, they knew the price of winning was to have a short celebration and prepare for their next game.

 

"We'll have to get re-focused and start concentrating this week," Kjellman said. We'll celebrate for a day and then we'll be on to our next practice get back at it."

 

Still, after beating a solid team in Johns Hopkins in dominating fashion Sunday, the Wildcats feel as if they might be the team to beat heading into the NCAA Tournament.

 

"I'd like to think so," Nielsen said. "I think we're pretty tough, but every team is tough at this point in the season."

 

This weekend, there was none tougher than Northwestern.