Syracuse University
#1 Northwestern
Orange Season Ends in NCAA Championship Semifinal
5/23/2008 8:42:56 PM | Women's Lacrosse
Boxscore
Syracuse Post-Game Quotes
NCAA Championship Semifinal Photo Gallery
TOWSON, Md. -- Sophomore Christina Dove recorded four points and became the second player in school history to score 100 points in a season as Syracuse’s record-setting campaign came to an end with a 16-8 loss to No. 1-ranked and three-time defending national champion Northwestern in the NCAA Championship semifinal at Towson, Md. Syracuse concludes the year with an 18-3 record.
“We took a great step in building the program this season,” said first-year head coach Gary Gait. “We worked hard this year. Playing in the national semifinals was a great experience for our players. We will continue to build on the success we had this season.”
The first half featured back-and-forth action as neither team was able to pull away. Kristin Brady got the scoring started 1:30 into the game off an assist from Dove. After a pair of Wildcat goals, Dove found Megan Mosenson in traffic. Mosenson put her shot past Northwestern goalkeeper Morgan Lathrop to tie the score with 13:53 left in the half. The teams traded goals before Dove gave SU its first lead of the game, 4-3, off an assist from Brady with 10:16 remaining. The teams again traded goals before Northwestern scored three straight to take a 7-5 lead with 2:22 remaining, the largest lead for either team in the half. Mosenson found the back of the net on a shot while she was falling to the ground to cut Northwestern’s lead to 7-6 at the half.
The Wildcats’ Hilary Bowen scored 28 seconds into the second half, which started a 9-0 scoring run that gave Northwestern a 16-6 lead with 4:36 remaining. Halley Quillinan halted the run when she found the back of the net with 2:14 left on the clock. Awehiyo Thomas scored the game’s final goal on an assist from Brady for the 16-8 final.
Dove had a goal and tied her career high with three assists to lead the Orange. She joins teammate Katie Rowan as the only players in school history to record 100 points in a season. Dove also ends the year with 75 goals, which sets a new single-season school record.
Mosenson tallied a hat trick, while Brady added a pair of goals and an assist. Quillinan finished with a goal and two assists. Bowen led Northwestern with six goals.
Freshman goalkeeper Liz Hogan recorded six saves, finishing the NCAA Championship with 24 stops.The Orange won 14-of-26 draw controls and picked up seven ground balls to Northwestern’s 12. The Wildcats outshot Syracuse, 26-16.
The 2008 season was the most successful campaign in the history of the Syracuse program. The Orange recorded a school-record 18 victories, won the BIG EAST regular-season and tournament titles and earned the No. 5 seed in the NCAA Championship, its highest seed ever. Syracuse defeated Towson and North Carolina to advance to the national semifinals for the first time in school history. The Orange finished the season with 380 goals, which surpasses the NCAA single-season record.
Individually, Rowan was the BIG EAST Attack Player of the Year, while Lindsay Rogers earned the Defensive Player of the Year award. Five players were named to the All-BIG EAST First Team while six were named to the IWLCA All-Northeast Region First Team, both school records. In addition, Rowan is a finalist for the Tewaaraton Award, given to the top collegiate lacrosse player in the nation, and the Honda Women’s Lacrosse Sports Award.
