Cats Exorcise Last Season's Demons, Earn Top Seed (Women's Lacrosse)

by Hasa Kingo The Daily Northwestern

Last year, after mounting a 16-1 record and a third-straight American Lacrosse Conference championship, the top-ranked Wildcats received the fourth seed in the NCAA tournament, prompting an array of complaints.

A year later, it's a different story.

With their eyes glued to the televised NCAA tournament selection show Monday evening at coach Kelly Amonte Hiller's home, the Cats were elated to hear the announcement they had been waiting for all season: They had earned the top seed in the tournament.

"We worked hard all season long, and it definitely paid off today," senior midfielder Kristen Kjellman said.

Since losing its first game of the season, NU has won 17 straight contests, including a 22-6 victory Sunday afternoon over No.8 Johns Hopkins in the inaugural ALC tournament.

That momentum is a big reason why senior Aly Josephs said the team is looking forward to this year's tournament.

"I think we're more fired up than ever to go out on top," Josephs said.

In its first round matchup, NU will face Holy Cross (13-5) in Evanston.

While NU did not face Holy Cross this season, the teams have a bit of history. Amonte Hiller coached current Crusaders coach Stephanie Ridolfi when she played at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

Should the Cats advance past the first round, their next opponent would be Syracuse or Vanderbilt.

Josephs said she is already looking forward to a possible late tournament matchup against North Carolina, the only team to defeat NU during the regular season.

"We're dying to play them again," Josephs said. "I would love to get some revenge."

But Amonte Hiller said she views the top seed as a mixed blessing.

While she is happy the team has proven itself worthy of a top seed, she said she recognizes the team's visibility at the top will have everyone in the field looking to score an upset.

"You draw a line in the sand, and everyone's the same now," Amonte Hiller said. "It's a new ballgame, a new season. It's one and done here, so we have to make sure we take care of business every time we step out onto the field."

Reach Hasa Kingo at h-kingo@northwestern.edu.

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