Northwestern survives a thriller in College Park.
No. 3 Northwestern (15-2, 8-0 B1G) survived a fourth quarter thriller to book a spot in the Big Ten championship game on Tuesday, braving a late run from No. 9 Johns Hopkins (12-6, 5-4 B1G) on the way to a 16-15 win in College Park, Md.
The Wildcats left with the win, but no one wearing purple could relax during the game. On offense, Hopkins put 25 shots on goal while the Blue Jay defense caused nine turnovers. Defensively, the ‘Cats only caused five total turnovers, and Sweitzer allowed 60% of the Blue Jays’ shots on goal. Northwestern will look to clean up its play on its third of the field as the postseason begins to heat up.
It was a season-best day for graduate attacker Niki Miles, who stepped up with five goals on seven shots to lead the ‘Cats in both categories. Senior midfielder Sam Smith led both teams in the draw circle with 12 draw controls and two goals of her own.
Despite scoring 16 goals, Northwestern’s attack was kept in check the whole game. JHU’s junior goalie Morgan Giardina posted a career-high 12 saves, and Tewaaraton Award hopeful Madison Taylor only converted 40% of her 10 shots for four goals in the day.
Sam Smith won the opening draw. The first couple of possessions proved unfruitful for both squads, but Taylor found sophomore midfielder Lauren Archer breaking towards the goal at 11:31, and Archer put the ‘Cats up 1-0.
The Blue Jays controlled the next two draws, and they made the most of their possessions. The ‘Cats defended for the next couple of minutes, but junior attacker Ava Angello tied the game off a fast break at 8:55. Eight minutes into the quarter, sophomore midfielder Samantha DiCarlo got a free position after being fouled by senior defender Sammy White. DiCarlo put the ball right past Delaney Sweitzer’s foot to put the Blue Jays up 2-1.
The Blue Jays kept the Wildcats backpedaling. Halfway through the first quarter, Johns Hopkins led Northwestern 5-2 on shots and 3-1 on draw controls. A promising possession saw graduate attacker Riley Campbell lose the ball out of bounds, and the ‘Cats were on the back foot again. The ‘Cats had found themselves caught in Hopkins’ revenge game.
The Blue Jays gave the ‘Cats an attempt to recover as JHU coach Tim McCormack spent a couple of minutes talking to the referees. Miles earned a free position on Northwestern’s next possession, and she scored from the center hash to tie the game back up. JHU won the draw again, but Sweitzer intercepted a pass from Laurel Gonzalez to give the ‘Cats possession.
The ‘Cats caught a break as Ava Angello received a green card penalty. It was a Taylor-to-Taylor connection as the ‘Cats played a woman up, and sophomore midfielder Taylor Lapointe found Madison Taylor for NU’s third goal. As time ran out in the first quarter, Northwestern had regained momentum 3-2. The Blue Jays, however, had controlled the draw circle 4-2 and had caused three turnovers to the ‘Cats’ 1.
Smith started the second quarter the same as the first, and the quadruple-teamed Taylor earned her first free position of the day. Johns Hopkins fouled her on her first attempt, but she scored bottom-left on her next try to extend the Northwestern score to four.
The purple and white slowed down the pace of the game while speeding up the scoring. Another draw from Smith led to a Campbell score in the top-left of the net, and Miles got her second score of the day on a contested shot 3:30 into the quarter. Finally, it seemed like the No. 3 squad in the country had extended its claws come out to play.
The ‘Cats breathed a bit too easily, however. A brilliant behind-the-back pass from JHU senior attacker Charlotte Smith set up sophomore attacker Taylor Hoss for the score, and Smith put one past Sweitzer 30 seconds later to make the score 6-4 Northwestern. Following an Emerson Bohlig turnover, Angello brought the game within one off a bounce shot.
Smith tried to stop the bleeding for the ‘Cats with a goal, but the ‘Cats lost the draw, went into a woman-down position and immediately allowed a goal from Lacey Downey. Taylor could not convert an eight-meter opportunity on the ‘Cats next attack.
Giardina put on one of the most impressive displays one might see with three minutes to go in the half, fending off three Northwestern shots in a row. The game stopped for official review… again, and 9 minutes of deliberation resulted in a yellow card on Taylor and JHU’s Quinlan O’Brien.
The Blue Jays received another yellow, but without Taylor on the field, Northwestern could not capitalize as the first half. It was 7-6 ‘Cats going into the break.
The ‘Cats were up on the scoreboard, but the first two quarters were a nightmare for Northwestern. When these teams met on April 3, Northwestern held Johns Hopkins to five goals the entire game. Additionally, Smith and Co. dominated the draw circle.
Three weeks later, the Blue Jays were up 9-6 in the circle and had 11 shots on goal. Taylor only had four total shots despite three free positions. The ‘Cats would have to increase their aggression if they wanted to put the game away.
And begin with aggression they did. The ‘Cats started with the ball and a woman-up in the second quarter. Campbell’s free position shot was blocked by Giardina, but Bohlig put her whole body into a shot from the left side of the eight-meter arc to give the ‘Cats their eight goal of the day.
Sam Smith fought for consecutive draw controls, and Northwestern pounced on the moment. Campbell bounced one in from down low, and Smith nearly scored her second before a vintage Giardina save. Sweitzer’s tough day continued, however, as Angello completed a hat-trick off a free position. Gonzalez caught Sweitzer out of position to make the score 9-8 five minutes into the half.
While Taylor was incognito, Miles decided that two goals was not enough. She slashed one down the middle while the ‘Cats were a woman up. Hopkins responded almost immediately, but Miles scored yet again from the left to push the lead to two.
Well, the lead was two for at least 30 seconds. Graduate midfielder Megan Kielbasa scored off a free position to put the Blue Jays into the double digits. Giardina deflected a free position shot from Taylor, but No. 25 came from behind the goal and scored her third of the day.
Smith joined in on the action and put her free position shot between Giardina’s legs to extend the Northwestern lead to three. Johns Hopkins scored once more before time ran out in the third quarter for a 13-11 Northwestern scoreline. Despite outshooting the Blue Jays by eight, Northwestern only put up one more goal, and had expended significantly more energy.
Two hours in, the fourth quarter began with NU controlling the draw and the ball. Northwestern bled four minutes off the clock before Miles scored her season—high fifth goal. Sweitzer picked up a critical save at 10:15, and Taylor scored her fourth of the day to give Northwestern its largest lead since the beginning of the second quarter.
The lead was cut in half within 60 seconds. Consecutive Sammy White green cards led to Gonzalez and DiCarlo notching their second goals of the game. Dicarlo then spun around Jaylen Rosga for her third score to make the score 15-14 with 6:42 to play.
Munro dug deep to find Lapointe for the score to give Northwestern its first goal in four minutes. JHU’s Smith responded with her own fast break goal to triple Hopkins’ score from April 3.
With 45 seconds remaining, the Wildcats were up 16-15 and on the back foot once more. The ‘Cats defense stiffened when it mattered most forcing a turnover and a woman-up position with 31 seconds to go. First-year defender Mary Carroll sprinted through the midfield, burning 15 seconds from the clock before Northwestern Head Coach Kelly Amonte Hiller called a timeout. Taylor got the ball to Miles, and Miles held onto it to end the game 16-15.
Northwestern will face the winner of Maryland vs. Michigan in the Big Ten title game on Sunday at 3 p.m. CT.