EVANSTON, Ill. – Freshman Ann Elliott came off the bench to score two late goals both of them off passes from classmate Kristin Kjellman as the Northwestern women’s lacrosse team overcame a sloppy performance to knock off ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ, 7-5, Saturday afternoon.
The Wildcats improved to 4-1 on the season, while the Raiders fell to 5-2.
No. 14 Northwestern looked like it might run away with this game, scoring three goals in less than a minute early in the first half. However, the game slowed down considerably after that, as neither team seemed able to get untracked.
NU drew first blood when Laura Glassanos converted a feed from Kjellman, and then Kjellman scored herself just 20 seconds later. Thirty seconds after that, it was 3-0 Wildcats when Lindsay Finochiarro scored on a feed from Kim Corcoran.
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Corcoran was playing against her former teammates; after two years at ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ, she transferred to Northwestern this season and was in the starting lineup against the Raiders Saturday.
NU’s offense stagnated after the third goal, though, allowing ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ to get back in the game with two of its own Katie McVeigh converted a free-position effort, and then Anne Coomber scored on a feed from Amanda Bradshaw at 20:23. The Wildcats got one of those back within a minute, when Kjellman converted Glassanos’ feed, but ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ ended the half with another goal (from Becky Ortolano) to make the score 4-3 at the break.
¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ tied the game up 2:29 into the second half when Kelly Winning scored on a nice individual effort, but NU took the lead when Kjellman scored her third goal. McVeigh knotted things again, at 5-5, on another free-position goal.
After that, it was Elliott’s time to shine. Entering the game as a second-half sub, she found herself open in front of the goal twice, where Kjellman fed her. Both times, Elliott found paydirt, giving the ‘Cats a lead they would not relinquish.
Ashley Gersuk made five saves on the day, while ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ’s Sue Bielamowicz had 11 and was impressive in the Raider cage.
¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ is next in action Thursday, hosting the Bears of Cal-Berkeley at 7 p.m.
Score by Half
¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ (5-2) 3 2 5
Northwestern (4-1) 4 3 7
Goals
NU: Kjellman 3, Elliott 2, Finocchiaro, Glassanos.
¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ: McVeigh 2, Coomber, Ortolano, Winning.
Assists
NU: Kjellman 3, Corcoran, Glassanos, Albrecht.
¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ: Bradshaw.
GK Saves
NU – Gersuk 5; COLGATE – Bielamowicz 11.
Shots: NU 18, ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ 12.
Free-Position: ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ 2-4, NU 0-2.
Ground Balls: NU 13, ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ 9.
Caused Turnovers: ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ 9, NU 6.
Draw Controls: NU 10, ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ 4.