Top-seeded Northwestern (19-1) will be making its fourth consecutive NCAA women’s lacrosse semifinal appearance after a 16-6 victory over No. 9 Loyola Maryland on Thursday at Martin Stadium in Evanston.
NU attacker Izzy Scane scored seven goals with three assists.
The Wildcats got the best of the nation’s No. 2 scoring defense. Entering Thursday’s match, Loyola Maryland had conceded more than 10 goals only once, a 14-11 loss on March 11 to then-No. 10 Florida. Overall, the Greyhounds allowed an average of 6.67 goals per match, trailing only No. 5 Denver, the Wildcats’ next opponent.
“It’s good to get in a little bit of a groove,” Scane said in a statement on the Northwestern athletics website. “Continuing our preparation this week, making sure we’re playing our best offense, playing for each other in a way that’s going to allow us to pick apart any defense we’re going to play. … (Friday will) be an awesome opportunity to see what our group can do against such a great defense.”
Northwestern will face Denver on Friday May 26 at 2 p.m. (ESPNU) in the Final Four at Cary, North Carolina. NU won 19 consecutive games since dropping the season-opener at Syracuse.
Syracuse will play Boston College in the other semifinal.
