The ‘Cats play one final game in Evanston this season.
Well, that was exhilarating.
It is not every day that fans get to see a single player score 10 goals in an NCAA tournament game. Until Sunday, in fact, that day had never come. No. 25 is something else. Anyhow, it is on to the next round for No. 2 Northwestern (17-2, 8-0 B1G) as they face off against the No. 12 Pennsylvania Quakers (12-6, 5-2 IL).
This quarterfinal match is a direct repeat of last season when the ‘Cats beat the Quakers 20–7 on the same field, in the same round and on the same day. A couple of things have changed since then. Attackers Izzy Scane and Erin Coykendall and midfielder Lindsey Frank – who all notched four goals against Penn – have graduated. Coykendall also racked up a season high seven assists.
One thing has not changed – junior attacker Madison Taylor is poised to wreak havoc.
In the game a year ago, Taylor led Northwestern with five goals and tied Scane for the second most assists at two. Even on a team with multiple lacrosse legends, Taylor was already leading the pack. The ‘Cats should expect that to continue after her historic performance on Sunday.
Still, it is a new year and a new set of teams. What do the 2025 Northwestern Wildcats need to do to punch their tickets to Foxborough and the semifinals?
Be Aggressive – Force Defensive Errors
Penn goalie Orly Sedransk is like Flex Seal: nothing gets through her. The first year has stopped some of the fiercest attacking teams in the nation. Against No. 17 Loyola and No. 8 Princeton (the No. 11 and 8 scoring offenses) she saved 8 of 18 and 14 of 26 shots on target, respectively. In two games against another tournament team, the No. 6 Maryland Terrapins, Sedransk saved 20 of 42 on target attempts. All these efforts have led to wins for Penn.
Sedransk’s performance this season has been exceptional: she has the eighth highest number of saves at 172 and the fifth highest save percentage at 50.3%. Furthermore, she is easily the highest performing goalie left in this tournament. She allowed only 10 goals on 17 on-target attempts against Maryland. Between games against the Terrapins and No. 21 Army West Point, she has 21 saves and a 56.8 save percentage. Those were both second to sophomore JJ Suriano, who is now eliminated.
For Northwestern to get past such a formidable opponent, it will have to do what it did against No. 13 Michigan, who also sported a top goalie in senior Erin O’Grady. The ‘Cats need to stretch out the Quaker defense beyond its limit if Taylor – along with graduate attackers Niki Miles and Riley Campbell – want one-on-one opportunities with Sedransk. On Sunday, for example, I watched Taylor run circles (literally) around the goal with the ball in her possession.
Obviously, some of this was to look for open teammates, but a less apparent reason for Taylor’s behavior was to confuse Michigan’s defensive formations. The unpredictability of Taylor’s movements (i.e., not passing away or shooting) led to defenders leaving holes in the field which she exploited moments later. If Northwestern is comfortable sticking right by the goal, even when there is no open look, Penn defenders will lose track of their blind spots.
Be Aggressive – Embrace Physicality
In colonial America, the Quakers were well known pacifists. When given the chance to fight to defend themselves, they would not lift a finger, trusting that divine providence would save them.
In 2025, the Quakers are still pacifists. Penn boasts the lowest foul percentage of any team remaining in the tournament at a mere 10 per game. Rather than trusting in providence, however, these Quakers have put their faith in Sedransk. Admittedly, that faith has gotten the team far.
The ‘Cats should not retract their claws just because Penn will not be physically aggressive. That is all the more reason for Northwestern to knock some heads. In the second-round matchup between Penn and Maryland, the No. 6 seed had five fewer fouls than the Quakers. However, the increased number of shot opportunities did not result in enough of an advantage for the Terrapins. Northwestern cannot assume that the same formula will yield different results.
A better plan is to be as physical on offense as possible without earning a card. In its Ivy League Tournament win over Penn, No. 5 Yale fouled the Quakers 17 times. Yale wore Penn down so much that the team yielded five goals in the final quarter – the Quakers had only allowed six in the first 45:00.
Certainly, the ‘Cats cannot whack anyone in the head. The last time they did that, Taylor found herself ejected from the Big Ten Championship game with only two goals. However, a few extra shoves on offense and a willingness to initiate contact with Quaker defenders will help the ‘Cats tire their opponents physically and mentally.
Be Aggressive – Seeding Cannot Save You
No. 6 Maryland learned that the hard way on Sunday. Up nearly the entire game, the Terrapins lost focus at 0:02 in the fourth to blunder a tie. In second overtime, Penn’s Catherine Berkery dispatched the heavy favorites with her second goal of the morning.
Maryland’s primary error was a hesitation to shoot. The Terps average 29.1 goals per game. Against Penn, they only put up 21. In six periods. This is in large part because of the Quakers’ ability to regain possession. Of players remaining in the tournament, senior midfielders Natasha Gorriaran and Grace Lillis are Nos. 1 and 6 in caused turnovers per game with four and 2.5, respectively.
But if any team should not have a problem slinging it, it is Northwestern. Against Michigan, Taylor went for the cage 11 times. She only missed once. The team put up 32 shots with 26 on target. If they continue to attack the goal early and often, the ‘Cats look good against any team in the country.
If No. 25 has an off day, the attack boasts plenty of firepower in Miles, Campbell and sophomore midfielder Taylor Lapointe. Miles completed her entire undergraduate career at Penn, after all. Who would not be interested in putting on a show against her own school? There is no reason that this team should launch fewer than 30 shots at the goal. Nonetheless, the primary threat on Northwestern’s offense is Taylor – Izzy Scane and NCAA records beware.
The first draw of Northwestern’s quarterfinal rematch against Penn is slated for 11 a.m. CDT.