April 20, 2007

Box Score

BALTIMORE, MD - The #1 Northwestern Wildcats pulled away in the second half to beat the #13 Johns Hopkins Blue Jays 12-5 Friday night in American Lacrosse Conference action. Hopkins falls to 8-6 overall and 1-2 in the ALC. The Wildcats improve to 12-1 on the season with a 3-0 mark in the ALC.

Northwestern jumped out to a 2-0 lead after back-to-back goals from Kristen Kjellman. But Hopkins responded with two goals in just 15 seconds to knot the score at 2-2. Freshman Sam Schrum (Pasadena, MD/St. Mary's) put the Blue Jays on the board at 7:53. Senior Alex Nolan (Baltimore, MD/Roland Park) fed the ball to senior Mary Key (Stevensville, MD/St. Mary's) from the end line. Key then found Schrum open at the top of the eight-meter. She rifled a shot past Wildcats goalie Morgan Lathrop for her 20th of the season. Junior Kadie Stamper (Bel Air, MD/C. Milton Wright) won the ensuing draw and then Key scored on a free position shot to make it 2-2.

Northwestern responded with goals from Hannah Nielsen and Kjellman in a 90 second span, push the lead back to two goals. Hopkins ended the run and cut the deficit to just one with 14:56 to play in the half off a Lauren Schwarzmann (Sykesville, MD/Century) goal. Schwarzmann picked up a loose ball to the right of the Wildcats cage, curled around it and fired a low shot past Lathrop. Back-to-back goals by Nielsen however and the Wildcats were leading 6-3 with 6:48 to play. Schwarzmann closed out the scoring in the first half, scoring her second of the night on a free position shot to make it 6-4 heading into the break.

The Wildcats came out of the half and scored three unanswered over the first 14:32 to push out to a 9-4 lead. Nolan ended the run with her 10th of the season at 20:17. Freshman goalie Lizzie O'Ferrall (Baltimore, MD/Mount De Sales) stuffed a Kjellman shot and on the ensuing clear, Hopkins capitalized. Schwarzmann, running down the middle, found a wide-open Nolan near the left goal post. Nolan fired a shot to the right post that eluded Lathrop.

Northwestern closed out the game with goals from Hilary Bowen and Danielle Spencer to account for the final score. Schwarzmann led the Blue Jays on the day with three points on two goals and one assist. Key's assist on Schrum's goal in the first half was her 42nd of the season, breaking the school Division I single-season record. O'Ferrall tied her career-high with nine saves in the loss. Kjellman led Northwestern with a game-high five goals, while Lathrop finished with 11 saves in net.

Hopkins returns to action on Friday, April 27 when Penn State visits Homewood Field. The ALC match-up is set to begin at 5:00 pm.