Undefeated Northwestern will battle North Carolina
A chance to play four-time defending NCAA champion Northwestern in its home state in the national title game was the dream scenario for the Maryland women’s lacrosse team.
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But Friday night at Towson University, North Carolina spoiled the party in the semifinals, toppling the previously undefeated Terps, 8-7, as freshman attack Laura Zimmerman came off the bench to score a career-high three goals, including the game winner with 8 minutes, 22 seconds remaining.
Sunday at Johnny Unitas Stadium, Carolina (16-4) will try to topple another undefeated power in Northwestern (22-0). The Wildcats survived Friday with a 13-12 victory over Penn as Meredith Frank tallied in sudden-death overtime and Katrina Dowd broke the NCAA record for tournament goals (18).
The title game will be a rematch of Northwestern’s 12-7 defeat of Carolina on March 2, which should give the Wildcats pause. In beating the Terps Friday, the Tar Heels avenged a five-goal loss in the regular season.
The first Carolina-Northwestern game was played under unusual circumstances in Chapel Hill.
“The coaching staffs were out on the field to shovel the snow away,” said Carolina coach Jenny Levy. “We wound up playing on a short field.”
With nine players from Maryland, including stars Megan Boscia (Mt. Hebron) and Amber Falcone (Winters Mill), Carolina will be the sentimental favorite Sunday, even though Northwestern coach Kelly Amonte Hiller was an All-America soccer and lacrosse player at Maryland. Amonte Hiller was NCAA Player of the Year in 1995 and 1996 when she led Maryland to its first two of seven consecutive national championships.
