Duo Leads Orange Against #2 Northwestern

Wednesday, March 23

Evanston, Ill.

8 p.m.

Syracuse University

No. 2 Northwestern

Michelle Tumolo tied her career high with three goals at Northwestern.

Photo by: Michael J. Okoniewski

3/23/2011 11:12:45 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

EVANSTON, Ill. – Senior Tee Ladouceur and sophomore Michelle Tumolo each scored three goals to lead No. 11 Syracuse in a 16-11 setback against No. 2 Northwestern on Wednesday, March 23 in Evanston, Ill.

Ladouceur finished with four points, giving her 146 in her Syracuse career. She now ranks seventh on the Orange's all-time scoring list, surpassing Kim Wayne's 143 points (2000-03). Tumolo added two assists for a team-high five points.

Kelly Rich scored twice in the first 10 minutes helping Northwestern (8-0) to a 4-1 lead. Tumolo put Syracuse (2-5) on the scoreboard when she came from behind the right side of the goal and put her shot in the back of the net with 23:31 on the clock. Two more goals by the Wildcats increased its advantage to 6-1 at the 21:31 mark. Ladouceur hit senior Lindsey Connell with a pass in front of the net, leading to her fifth goal of the season before Tumolo netted back-to-back goals to cut Northwestern's lead to 6-4 at the 5:59 mark. The Wildcats responded with the final three goals of the half, including Shannon Smith's third goal of the game with one second on the clock, to give Northwestern a 9-4 halftime lead.

Ladouceur recorded Syracuse's first two goals of the second half as the Orange trailed 11-6 with 21:38 left in the game. Junior Sarah Holden scored from right in front of the net on an assist from Tumolo to bring the Orange to within four at 11-7, but Northwestern scored three unanswered goals to take its largest lead of the game at 14-7 with 17:51 remaining.

The Orange responded with a 3-0 scoring run of its own to cut the lead to 14-10 at the 14:59 mark. Senior Catherine Rodriguez started the run when she found the back of the net off a hard shot from the left side of the goal. Freshman Alyssa Murray then found junior Lauren Welch wide open in front of the net. Welch put her shot in the back of the goal to cut the lead to five, and Ladouceur netted her third goal of the game when she scored off a pass from Murray on a free position attempt to bring the Orange to within four at 14-10. But that was as close as Syracuse could get as Northwestern scored two of the final three goals of the game to post the 16-11 victory.

Murray tied her season high with two assists, while Holden finished with two goals. Freshman Katie Webster recorded one assist. Shannon Smith, the nation's leading scorer, recorded seven points on six goals and an assist to lead Northwestern.

The Wildcats outshot Syracuse, 34-25, and picked up 12 ground balls to nine for the Orange. Northwestern also held a 22-7 advantage in draw controls. Senior Liz Hogan made 11 saves, marking the eighth time she has reached double figures in saves in her last 13 games. Brianne LoManto recorded nine saves for Northwestern.

Syracuse will play its fifth consecutive road game on Saturday when it opens BIG EAST play at Rutgers at 1 p.m.