NU-PENN: NCAA Finals

(Cue 80s music...)
IT'S THE FINAL COUNTDOWN!!! Welcome to the NCAA championship finals, Northwestern's stomping grounds for the last three years. The top-seeded Wildcats go for a fourth straight national title tonight against No. 2 Penn.

NU comes into the games as unquestionably the nation's best women's lacrosse program. The Cats are 82-3 in the last four seasons and have won 41 of their last 42 games. The one loss? An 11-7 defeat on April 27 to these very Quakers. So you can bet Kelly Amonte Hiller's squad will be fired up, especially with a championship just 60 minutes away.

The crucial matchup of the game may be NU's offense vs. Penn's defense. The Cats have averaged a tournament-best 16.33 goals per game, including 18 against Princeton in the quarterfinals and 16 against Syracuse in the semis. Penn boasts the nation's best scoring defense, allowing only 6.08 goals per game. NU has attacker Hilary Bowen (78 goals, including a tournament-best 14); Penn has goalie Sarah Waxman (national leader in goals against average at 6.08). NU has scored at least 10 goals in all but two games; Penn has kept opponents under 10 goals in all but two games.

The bottom line is the pace of the game. Fast favors NU, slow favors Penn.

PREGAME:
A few thoughts before the action gets underway:

• The Cats have the support of perhaps the most successful coach in sports. Bill Belichick, head coach of the New England Patriots, spoke with Amonte Hiller by phone after NU's semifinal win over Syraucse, according to the Chicago Tribune. Belichick praised the NU program and called Amonte Hiller "a legend." Talk about high praise.
• Despite shutting out Syracuse offensive leader Katie Rowan in Friday's semifinals, NU defender Maggie Bremer will not be starting tonight. Instead, junior Kristin McCandlish will start for the Cats. The move may signal a change in defensive strategy by Amonte Hiller; we will see if the team gets away from its normal aggressive, faceguarding style.
• STARTING LINEUPS
• Penn: 2 Kocis, 4 Mazer, 5 Farmer, 10 DeLuca, 13 Giordano, 14 Kiman, 17 Ambrozy, 20 Spiro, 21 Lehman, 25 Renna, 27 Manson, 99 Waxman
• NU: 1 Bowen, 2 Spencer, 4 Dowd, 7 Nielsen, 8 Jacobs, 11 Frank, 12 Finch, 17 McCandlish, 24 Cammarota, 31 Donohoe, 33 Harrington, 66 Lathrop

Here we go!

FIRST HALF
25:00: NU 1, Penn 1
After an early Cats' rush was stopped by Waxman, Ali DeLuca took the ball the length of the field and beat Lathrop low to give the Quakers a 1-0 lead. Penn is 11-0 when they score first (an ominous sign for NU). But Penn has started out sloppy, with two turnovers in the first three minutes. The second miscue led to another highlight-reel goal from Nielsen, who faked out the defense with a fake flip for the second time this postseason. She buried the ensuing shot to even the score at one. The more Penn coughs it up, the more the Cats will make them pay.

20:00 NU 2, Penn 1
As usual, NU is dominating the time of possession, with Nielsen doing most of the playmaking. She is buzzing around behind the net, harrying the Penn defense. Right now, it looks like the Cats are willing to slow it down... and just like that, they explode!! Bowen hits Towson native Meghan Plunkett in front of the goal, who nails the shot to give NU its first lead.

15:00 NU 3, Penn 1
Waxman is keeping this game close right now. She saves a point-blank bounce shot by Bowen as the game become more physical. But the Cats keep on plugging, and finally the dynamic duo connects: Nielsen to Bowen for the goal. Just like in the second half against Syracuse, NU is keeping possession -- and keeping the ball out of the its own end.

10:00 NU 4, Penn 1
Lathrop with her biggest save yet! She gets her stick on a Quakers' free position opportunity to keep the lead at 3-1. That has to help her confidence. Meanwhile, another Penn turnover in its own territory keeps the momentum on NU's side (and the ball on Penn's). Once again, the Cats capitalize, as Nielsen finds a cutting Dowd this time for an easy score. On defense, NU continues to attack, forcing the Quakers into low-percentage shots.

A quick aside: Only two teams have current NCAA championship streaks longer than NU's lacrosse team. Both UCLA in women's water polo and Georgia in women's gymnastics have won four straight. The Cats are trying to join them tonight.

5:00 NU 4, Penn 2
Lathrop has come to play today. Another save, and then a fist pump after NU gets the ball back. Nonetheless, the Quakers get one back after consecutive fouls by the Cats deep in their zone (Christy Finch has picked up a yellow card; one more and she'll be done for the game). Penn just can't get anything going on offense, though, even on the fast break, as NU breaks up a centering pass to thwart a Quaker rush.

0:00 NU 5, Penn 2
ANOTHER save by Lathrop on a point-blank shot. This is the player we've been waiting to see all postseason. On offense, though, the Cats have stalled, unable to squeeze through Penn's defense to get a good shot. And when they do, Waxman is there to make the save. Lathrop makes one more save in the final minute of the half, and BANG!! Finch brings her talents to the offensive zone, dishing to Frank for a critical score with 29 seconds left. With literally one second left, Penn's Rachel Manson gets a free-position opportunity, but Lathrop turns her aside, a fantastic stick save to finish off a fantastic first half. How do you spell a 5-2 halftime lead? M-O-R-G-A-N L-A-T-H-R-O-P.

HALFTIME
I may be beating us into the ground, but too bad: Morgan Lathrop's goaltending so far has been as sweet as the crabcake sandwiches they have here in the press box. She has been the definitive star for the Cats -- the offense has been more of a balanced attack, with five goals from five different players. But they can't let up. The Cats held a similar three-goal advantage at halftime in their regular-season matchup with Penn, then went scoreless the rest of the way. Stay tuned...

SECOND HALF
25:00 NU 5, Penn 3
It's getting physical. Bowen gets mauled on a free-position opportunity, only to be inexplicably called for a charge. Then, a Donohoe goal is negated because she was in the crease. Penn furiously attacks on the other end, but Lathrop makes another big save and the Quakers misfire on a shot. But after another tough foul call on the Cats, Emma Spiro puts a shot in goal. Tough calls, going against NU.

20:00 NU 8, Penn 4
FINALLY, NU scores a second-half goal against this team. Including the regular season, it had been almost 36 scoreless minutes before Bowen got free and bounced one past Waxman. AND.....it's the Nielsen-Bowen show -- again!!! That goal (Bowen from Nielsen, if you're confused) gives the Cats their largest lead of the game at 7-3.

OH, BUT IT GETS BETTER!!! Just 23 seconds later, FINCH, of all people, leads the fast break and scores!!!! It's just the senior captain's second goal of the season and 10th of her entire four-year career. You gotta love that.

(And by the way, Bowen's goal tied the NCAA record for most goals in a single tournament with 17).

15:00 NU 8, Penn 5
Guess Penn didn't get the memo about rolling over and playing dead. An Ali DeLuca goal off a surprise rush cuts the lead to 8-5. The Cats had settled into their "four corners" offense, but they may not be able to be that complacent -- and they've gotten sloppy... but they get the ball back anyway. And yes, Penn was able to rally from three goals down against Duke in the semis. But NU isn't Duke.

Lathrop saves a free-position opportunity shot to halt the momentum ... but NU turns it over again. All of the sudden, the Cats look a liiiitle shaky.

10:00 NU 9, Penn 6
The wheels are not quite off the wagon, but they're wobbling. Lathrop picks the ball up, then loses it, leading to an easy Quaker goal. Now the Penn crowd has gotten into it. And NU is no longer winning the all-important draw controls.

But two Dowd steals later, the Cats strike back, as Nielsen is the finisher as opposed to the passer for once. Frank sets up the junior from Australia to end a three-goal run by Penn.

Another fist pump from Lathrop after she saves a free position opportunity.

5:00
Tick. Tick. Tick. That clock can't move fast enough for the Cats, as Lathrop corrals the ball and sends it the other way. Penn is playing super-aggressive at this point, and NU might look to capitalize.

Right now, though, the grind-it-out offense is in full flow. The Cats seem content to let the clock run down and let Penn come to them as they try to capture the title in front of the 6,125 fans here at Johnny Unitas Stadium (a record total for a women's lacrosse final).

Lathrop has 11 saves at this point, already a season high.

Donohoe falls down with the ball but maintains possession as Amonte Hiller calls the team's final timeout. Keep away, keep away. Tick, tick, tick.

0:00 NU 10, Penn 6
Nielsen and Bowen combine to pick up a loose ball as the clock hits 4:00. Seizing an opportunity, Nielsen darts out from behind the net, shrugs off a stick to the head, and bounces a shot past Waxman for a 10-6 lead.

Dowd continues to be a sparkplug, picking up another ground ball to retain possession. Try as they might, the Quakers simply can't get the ball back. And the Cats can smell the four-peat now... 2:00 left!!!

Penn finally gets possession with 1:00 left, only to see Finch steal it right back. :36 seconds....

That bench is ready to explode!!!

30....20.....15.........10........5........

HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lacrosse: NCAA Semifinal - Cats vs. Syracuse

Welcome to beautiful Towson, Md. for the NCAA Women's Lacrosse Final Four. Tonight Northwestern faces off against the fifth-seeded Syracuse Orange. The Orange are 18-2 on the season and haven't lost since receiving a 19-7 drubbing at the hands of the Wildcats on March 24. The Cats, playing in their fourth-straight Final Four, are displaying a new look, unveiling their new uniforms for the Final Four - new tops (with names beneath the numbers rather than above) and basketball-type shorts replacing the traditional skirt.

This will be the sixth time Syracuse has played NU, with the Cats holding a 4-1 advantage in the series. The Orange are the top-scoring team in the country with 18.51 goals-per-game and have the nation's leading scorer in Katie Rowan. Rowan has 73 goals and 69 assists on the season and she isn't even the Orange's top scorer - a distinction that belongs to Christina Dove. The Cats' Hannah Nielsen is second in scoring by a distant margin with 104 points.

Starters for the Cats - 12 Finch, 20 Bremer, 24 Cammarota, 33 Harrington, 2 Spencer, 7 Nielsen, 8 Jacobs, 11 Frank, 31 Donahoe, 1 Bowen, 4 Dowd and 66 Lathrop in goal.

First Half:

25:00 - Syracuse wins the opening draw and after clearing its zone charges down the field for the first goal of the game. The Cats win the ensuing draw and after a miss by Bowen, Nielsen passes the ball to Frank in front to equalize. So far the teams are equally resilient on defense, but the Cats have had possession longer, but have been unable to capitalize on shots. 

NU 1, SU 1.

20:00 - The Cats aren't giving the Orange much to work with. SU barely had the ball before the Cats recovered and again let Frank dissect the defense. The junior from Westwood, Mass. has taken just two shots, but found net on both. Maggie Bremer has been all over Rowan, shadowing SU's dangerous scorer and keeping her a nonthreat right now. After a long Cats' possession, the Orange have been in control, but thankfully for the Cats, SU's shots have been clear of Lathrop. 

NU 2, SU 1.

15:00 Midway through the first half, did anyone think the score would be this low? In a game featuring two of the most potent offenses in the country, this has become a defensive battle. The Orange's defense kept the Cats without a shot during a four-minute possession by closing the gaps whenever Dowd or Bowen tried to cut near the goal. Spencer is still showing signs of rust and hasn't been her normal dominating presence, but is taking hits left and right and is frequently on the turf. 

NU 2, SU 1.

10:00 After the Cats were unable to put the ball between the pipes, the Orange rushed up the field and Mosenson beat out Lathrop to tie the game. On the ensuing rush for control, Jacobs was hit hard to the ground and took awhile to get up. Even though she isn't the scoring threat some of her teammates are, the Cats will struggle if Jacobs doesn't come back. The junior is one of the best players on the team at getting ground balls. The Cats finally found their bread-and-butter - Nielsen to Bowen - to take the lead again. NU has had a lot of chances, but Syracuse's defense and goalkeeping is just that good. Syracuse has made some fielding errors, but they aren't taking the defensive chances the Cats are. NU has been going for interceptions and when they miss - they miss bad and set up the Orange for a goal.

NU 3, SU 4.

5:00 - The Cats have resorted to new tactics to beat the Orange. Spencer is now playing behind the net with Bowen rather than Nielsen, which against Notre Dame produced big dividends for both players. So far they have connected twice, pushing Bowen within three goals breaking of the single-season goal-scoring record of 76. Nielsen has assisted three goals tonight, giving her 59 on the season.

The Orange are putting on a clinic on how to beat NU - utilizing the fast break. After the Cats find ways to beat the SU defense, the Orange are using their speed to get the Cats out of position. The Orange have been very aggressive on defense and are checking hard and getting away with a lot of hard hits, several of which have led to goals on the other end for Syracuse. This is a familiar position for these teams - a 5-5 tie near half. But when the teams met in March the Cats came out with a vengeance after the break to put the game away for good. Let's see what Amonte Hiller does to give the Cats some momentum going into the break.

NU 5, SU 5.

HALF - In what has been a very close game, the Cats took the first two-goal of the match. There have been five ties and four lead changes. The biggest problem for the Cats has been their inability to win draw controls, losing 8-6, though it felt much worse. The Orange are getting too many touches on the ball despite the Cats having most of the possession time. That, and turnovers. The Cats turned the ball over deep in their own zone, leading to a ridiculous goal by SU's Mosenson, who has been destroying the Cats so far. But on the plus side, the Cats have effectively neutralized Katie Rowan who has yet to record a point, but Dove and Mosenson are running all over Lathrop, who only had one save in the first period. If the Cats want to put away the Orange in the second half, Lathrop will need to put more stick on the ball. Hopefully, Amonte Hiller can inspire her goalie to regain her All-American-caliber play.

NU 7, SU 6.

Second Half

25:00 - The Orange are hacking away at any white jersey they see and luckily for the Cats, the refs are calling the game tighter this period. At 27:34, Hilary Bowen tied Kristen Kjellman's single-season goal record with 76th of the season and her fourth goal of the game. And she still has potentially three more halves to call the record her own. The Cats have come out of the locker-room with their usual fire in the second half. In just 4:20, the Cats have jumped out to a 10-6 lead and forced Syracuse to call a timeout making the Purple Faithful in attendance get loud. The offense has responded to Amonte Hiller, but we still have to wait to see what happens when team is tested on the other end of the ball.

NU 10, SU 6.

20:00 - Can anyone stop Danielle Spencer? When she is on, she may be the most dangerous player on the field. And what has happened to Katie Rowan? She has been limited to just one shot and Bremer is keeping her from touching the ball. Her teammates are avoiding her like the plague right now, but if SU wants to get back into this game, Rowan will need to get involved. But wait! At 20:42, Bowen just set the NU record with her 77th goal of the year! So now Syracuse's checklist reads: Win draw controls, get Rowan involved and stop Bowen. As of right now that looks to be a tall order, but things can change fast.

NU 12, SU 6.

14:35 - Bowen is unstoppable this half and Nielsen keeps finding ways to get her the ball. The Cats have completely neutered Syracuse's attack, as the Orange have yet to take a shot in the second period, while the Cats have taken 10 and scored on six of them.

NU 13, SU 6.

10:00 - Just when the Orange start to establish a possession, a pass goes out of bounds and the Cats reset. If things could not have gone worse this half for Syracuse, Donahoe just bounced a shot past Hogan. It looks like the change to shorts hasn't had any negative effect for the Cats tonight; maybe Syracuse should have followed suit.

NU 14, SU 6.

5:00 - Syracuse's Rogers just picked up her second yellow card and she is done for the night and it is looking like her season is over as well. Down eight with less than ten minutes left, the Orange are gambling more and more on defense trying to get some interceptions. That is bad news for the Cats' starters, who have been taking a beating for most of the half. It's strange that Amonte Hiller hasn't started to sub her players yet.

While Bowen is the obvious choice for my game MVP, props need to be given to Maggie Bremer, who has helped keep Rowan scoreless and the Orange without a shot so far in the second half.

NU 15, SU 6.

It is too little, too late for the Orange. Finally there is life from Rowan, but Lathrop stops the shot, before SU get on the board in the second half with a late goal. The Orange caught a break when Finch picked up a yellow card, taking her out of the game, but things are still grim for Syracuse. Lathrop guessed right on the second SU goal of the half, but couldn't get a stick on the ball. By keeping the other team from shooting the ball, the Cats showed you can keep your opponent from scoring. Of, course it also helps when one of your fellow white jerseys scores six in a game.

Final Score: NU 16, SU 8 and Hello, NCAA Championship versus either Penn or Duke.

Some post game comments from the players and coaches:

"I know it seems like its just me, but its really our whole defense," Maggie Bremer said about keeping Rowan in check. "There's so much talking going on that it's not just me. I just try my hardest."

"I just said that they shouldn't be afraid to take chances and we wanted to see if we could push the tempo," Kelly Amonte Hiller said about her halftime pep talk.

When asked about whether the wardrobe change made a difference in her scoring, Bowen replied with a smile, "For sure, it totally did." So the shorts may have helped her break the record even though she said that was the last thing on her mind during the game. All she wanted to do was have two more days to play lacrosse.

Now the Cats just have to wait to see which familiar foe they will face Sunday night, Penn (the team who beat NU) or Duke (who the Cats beat for the first time in Durham this season). But whoever the team, it should make for a great game as the Cats go for their fourth consecutive national title.

Softball: The Origins of Lauren Delaney's Explosive Nickname

Lauren Delaney has been a star in the pitcher's circle in her two years at Northwestern. Her 70 mile per hour fastball (that equates to an upper-90s fastball in baseball) and her development of off-speed pitches have transformed the Missouri-native into one of the best pitchers in the nation.

Delaney swept the Big Ten pitching awards with a 37-9 record and a 1.54 ERA on 444 strikeouts. She showed her mettle in a tough weekend series against DePaul in the NCAA Tournament Regionals.

The sophomore had a 39-inning scoreless streak snapped and blew a 2-0 lead in the first game against the Blue Demons, but came back strong in the 3-2 clincher, which pushed the Wildcats to the NCAA Super Regional against Arizona State in Tempe, Ariz. this weekend.

But as a freshman, her speed was what stood out.

It was what earned her the nickname, "Boom Boom".

"Our senior Katie Logan used to be playing around with her brother and they would say, 'Laney Boom Boom,'" Delaney said during an interview last year. "And my last name is Delaney, so she just kind of said that one day and it stuck."

She has more than lived up to her name with over 400 strikeouts this year to go with an impressive freshman outing. She went 19-2 with a 1.73 ERA, including winning her first 15 decisions, and struck out 190 batters.

Delaney became NU's go-to pitcher this year and has bounced back from a tough NCAA Tournament that saw her face only three batters and give up three walks in a devastating loss to Washington at the Women's College World Series.

She is more than making up for it this postseason and trying to propel the Cats to their third straight appearance in Oklahoma City.

Softball NCAA Regional: Northwestern vs. DePaul Game Three LIVE BLOG

It is do or die time at Sharon J. Drysdale Field. It is win or go home and any other euphemism you want to use for this deciding game three between Northwestern and DePaul. The Wildcats will have to turn around quickly after a crushing 3-2 come-from-behind loss in the first game today. Everyone is back in their places and we are set to go.

First Inning: Here is one of the funny things about the NCAA Tournament. NU is not playing at home today. "The J" is a neutral site with mask of unbiased fan support (OK, it is about even between the DePaul and NU fans). The Cats were the home team for the first game, but will be the road team for this important game three.

So during the break, NU and DePaul literally switched dugouts. Even the fans switched sides of the stadium. Worth noting that the Cats defeated the Blue Demons yesterday as the road team.

Second Inning: Pitchers Becca Heteniak and Lauren Delaney have really gotten into a groove in this game. They are both retiring batters quickly. The Cats have a couple big hits to center field, but this one has the making of a pitcher's duel.

Third Inning: the offenses do not seem to be doing much. Mostly flailing the bat at missed pitches and hoping they make some form of contact. OK, that was hyperbole. But it may just be that kind of game. Both teams are flipping their lineups over for the first time. The next two innings could be the key to the game.

Fourth Inning: this looks familiar. Tammy Williams comes up with a runner on and hits a home run over the center field wall. The junior shortstop hits her second two-run home run of the day and gives NU a not too comfortable 2-0 lead.

Williams did the same in the third inning of today's first game. I guess the Cats got themselves a second chance to hold on to a two-run lead today..

DePaul responds by loading the bases with only one out. The worst part is there have been no hits in the inning. An error, a walk and a hit by pitch have put Delaney in her first jam of the game.

Kate Drohan takes time and groups the team at the pitcher's circle and that seems to calm Delaney down. She gets a foul out to left field and a line drive to Williams at shortstop. Cats hold on to the lead.

Fifth Inning: the speedy Jordan Wheeler adds to NU's lead with an RBI double to left center field. Not typically the RBI machine -- it is her only 10th of the year -- Wheeler picked the right spot to bring one home. DePaul loaded the bases last inning, but three seems a lot more than two against Delaney right now.

The Blue Demons got started with that difficult task. A leadoff single and some timely hitting and moving got runners on second and third, bringing team RBI leader Sandy Vojik to the plate. Her liner down the left field line brought two runs home and made it a one-run game.

Jackie Tarulli-Fisher gave the Cats something to think about blasting a shot to the left field wall in foul territory. But the score remains 3-2 after she grounds out to second. NU cannot afford to blow two big leads today, it obviously spells the end to the season.

Sixth Inning: the Blue Demons might have the momentum right now. Heteniak comes out of the dugout and gets three strikeouts -- two of them looking -- against big hitters Michelle Batts, Nicole Pauly and Erin Dyer. Cats will have to take back control on the defensive end.

An error on a weird bounce at short the only blemish in that inning. Cats hold a one-run lead heading into the final inning.

Song Between Innings: "Eye of the Tiger"... it must be that time of year. Aren't tigers part of the feline family?

Seventh Inning: Cats cannot add to their lead. It comes down to the final three outs for the Blue Demons. Nine hitter Alex Morocco and the top of the order are due up for the final three outs of someone's season -- unless we go to extras.

A leadoff single to shallow center is not the way to start if NU wants a trip to the super regionals. But that is exactly what happens, putting the tying run on with the top of the order coming to the plate.

A single that bounces off the glove of shortstop Tammy Williams is not a way to come back from that. But that is what happens and now the Cats face runners at second and third with nobody out.

After a strikeout, Vojik grounds out to the pitcher. Delaney throws the ball home to Dyer to get the tag out and preserve the lead. Runners at the corner with two outs. You can feel the tension as Jackie Tarulli-Fisher lines up for what could easily be the last at bat.

Tarullie-Fisher strikes out as she slams her bat to the ground and is comforted by her teammates. The hero from the last game cannot deliver and NU moves on with a 3-2 victory to play Arizona State or Hawaii.

Softball NCAA Regional: Northwestern vs. DePaul Round 2 LIVE BLOG

Cue the dramatic music and video montage. DePaul upended Western Illinois yesterday6-0 to make it to the regional championship today. The Blue Demons suffered a 6-0 loss to the Cats yesterday afternoon and now have to defeat them twice to make it to the super regional.

Northwestern could not be sitting any prettier with two wins under its belt. The team has played some of its best softball of the season right now behind the hard-throwing arm of Lauren Delaney. The sophomore pitcher has not given up a run in the past 35 innings. That includes all five games of the postseason. She is really on top of her game.

The Cats got to Becca Heteniak yesterday. She is a very good pitcher and should be able to bounce back. This second game should be a lot closer than yesterday's. But I would expect NU to easily sweep its way into the super regional.

First Inning: DePaul looks like they will not go quietly into this good night... or windy afternoon. Amber Patton leads off the game with a double to left-center field. The Blue Demons have now equaled the number of runners they got into scoring position from yesterday's game. This is not the same team from yesterday and this will certainly not be the same game.

But despite the leadoff runner and a single which moved her to third, Delaney closes the door and extends her run-less streak. After an illegal steal, a strikeout and a groundout to third, NU keeps the game scoreless heading to the bottom of the inning.

Second Inning: Cats defense continues to have problems. With one out Nicole Pauly and Tammy Williams collide into each other going for pop out and then Robin Thompson struggles to field a grounder. Instead of the inning being over, DePaul suddenly has another inning with a very realistic scoring chance.

So what do you do when your defense is not doing well? Get the batter out at the plate. Delaney strands another runner in scoring position getting two strikeouts to end the inning and the threat.

Third Inning: that scoreless streak looks like it is going to end soon. DePaul again gets its leadoff runners on and everyone looks a little tentative. Delaney just had a ball grounded right to her and she hesitated making the decision to throw to first or take the leadoff runner at second.

Time for the defense to return the favor. Jackie Tarulli-Fisher lines out to Tammy Williams and she throws it easily to second for the double play. A great defensive play and despite being outplayed so far, NU is still in very much in this game. Order is coming back around and that is when the Cats usually do their damage.

NU finally gets a fortuitous bounce as Darcy Sengewald leads off the inning by reaching second base on a throwing error. Then Tammy Williams asks, "What slump?" by crushing a ball to straight-away center field. That is a 2-0 lead with an exclamation point!

Fourth Inning: The Blue Demons make a bunch of changes including pitcher Lindsey Dean for starter Becca Heteniak. In an odder move, they pull catcher Jackie Tarulli-Fisher in the middle of an at bat. Sign of a desperate team?

Fifth Inning: DePaul not going away that easily. A lead-off walk and single threatens NU again. A sacrifice bunt puts two runners in scoring position with the meat of the lineup coming to the plate. Delaney gets big hitter Sandy Vojik to strike out looking.

But Tarulli-Fisher comes up big with a two-run single to center field. NU played with fire all game and DePaul finally made the team pay. Tie game now entering the final two and a half innings.

Sixth Inning: Delaney retires the Blue Demons in order for the first time today. But the Cats cannot get anything going in the bottom. The game remains tied at two entering the final inning of regulation.

Seventh Inning: Leadoff runner Amber Patton reaches third on a close stolen base. Heteniak gave up NU's two runs as the pitcher, but she gave DePaul the run it needed to take the lead. She singles back up the middle to give the Blue Demons the lead.

The Cats have Darcy Sengewald, Jordan Wheeler and Tammy Williams due up to try and make the comeback.

Wheeler makes it to third base thanks to som clutch small-ball hitting. But NU needed the big bats. Heteniak comes back in as the pitcher and strikes out Nicole Pauly to end the inning. DePaul holds on for a 3-2 win, forcing a decisive game three.

Expect the same faces on all sides for this one in what should promise to be an exciting conclusion to the Evanston Regional of the NCAA Tournament.

NCAA quarters: Cats 18, Princeton 11

And that's all she wrote! A couple late garbage-time goals by the Tigers made the final score a little less lopsided, but the Cats are still going back to the semifinals.

The team will take the field next Friday, May 23, in Towson, Maryland against Syracuse in the semifinals. Should they win, the finals are in Towson on Sunday, May 25.

The seniors leave Lakeside Field with a perfect home record in their four-year career. Quite a record. Quite a win.

That's all I got. See you in Towson.

NCAA quarters: Cats 18, Princeton 8

Caitlin Jackson gets her first goal of the season... in the NCAA quarterfinals. How many players can say that?

NCAA quarters: Cats 17, Princeton 8

With the quarters all but locked up, let's look ahead to see who will join the Cats in next weekend's Final Four.

No. 5 seed Syracuse held off UNC, 13-11. The Orange, who lost to the Cats 19-7 earlier this season, will face NU in the semifinals.

Duke upset No. 3 seed Maryland, 9-7. The loss eliminates the chance of NU coach Kelly Amonte Hiller facing her old team.

Finally, No. 2 seed and NU-killer Penn dispatched BU 8-5 to get to the semifinals.

All signs point to an NU-Penn rematch in the finals. The Quakers handed the Cats their only loss of the season 11-7, and you know the team would love to avenge that loss and win the title in the same game.


8:00 left in the game.

NCAA quarters: Cats 15, Princeton 5

After a Statue-of-Liberty style trick play where Nielsen faked a flip to Bowen, then coolly shot it past a befuddled Tochihara, the Cats lead 13-5.

With a fourth straight trip to the semis all but assured, the only question left is: How dominant are these Cats? A few quick stats:

• NU is 80-3 the last four years, with three national championships and a fourth in their sights
• The Cats have won 42 straight home games

• Two of the five nominees for the Tewaarton Trophy (the MVP of women's college lacrosse) are Wildcats: Hannah Nielsen and Christy Finch

So what's the pro equivalent of this team? Imagine the execution of the San Antonio Spurs with the athleticism of Chris Paul and the Hornets, then throw in the winning drive of the New England Patriots. That's pretty close.

How good are they? While I've written this post, the Cats have scored three goals.

NCAA quarters: Cats 12, Princeton 5

That's a hat trick for Katrina Dowd! After a Princeton goal cut the lead to 11-5, Dowd beat Tochihara for a seven-goal lead.

25:00 left in the second half

NCAA quarters: HALFTIME, Cats 11, Princeton 4

Danielle Spencer is back! The Cats 6-foot sophomore scored her first goal since her injury and her 55th of the season with just more than a minute left in the first half. It's been an offensive eruption for NU here today; the 11 goals is more than the Cats put up in the entire game in their last meeting with Princeton.

NCAA quarters: Cats 10, Princeton 3

Casey Donohoe just had herself a Top Play. After getting the pass from Nielsen, she flipped the ball BEHIND HER HEAD and into the net. It's the second straight game NU has done that: Nielsen scored behind her head in the Round of 16 victory over Notre Dame.

A minute later, Donohoe scored again. The junior has a hat trick in the first half.

1:30 left in the first half.

NCAA quarters: Cats 7, Princeton 3

Princeton has successfully slowed down the Cats on offense, and Kristin Schwab just beat the NU defense baseline and went top-shelf on Lathrop.

But as soon as the Tigers grabbed the momentum, the champs grabbed it right back. Brooke Matthews scored barely 20 seconds after the Princeton goal.

7:15 left in the first half.

NCAA quarters: Cats 6, Princeton 2

AND Danielle Spencer is back in and moving just fine.

13:00 left in the first half.

NCAA quarters: Cats 6, Princeton 1

Whooosh! Freshman Brooke Matthews just outran the entire Princeton team, going the length of the field and beating Tochihara for a 5-1 lead.

Less than a minute later, Katrina Dowd spun past the defense -- for the second time in the game -- and scored.

The Cats are dominating in every facet of the game. They are controlling the ball on offense and winning the all-important draw controls. The Tigers just look outclassed.

17:00 remaining in the first half.

NCAA quarters: Cats 3, Princeton 1

The Tigers score on their first shot in just their second possession in Cats' territory.

A quick sidenote: Sophomore Danielle Spencer, who is second on the team in goals, is still on the sidelines. She injured her hip in the ALC tournament championship game against Vanderbilt. She is cleared to play today but still has not seen any action.

NCAA quarters: Cats 3, Princeton 0

Now that's how you build a lead.

First, with a sweet move by Hilary Bowen, splitting a double team and firing a bounce shot past Tigers' goalie Erin Tochihara.

Just 12 seconds later, the Cats scored on the fast break after winning the draw. Hannah Nielsen continued her torrid run this season, beating Tochihara for the 3-0 lead.

NU v. Princeton...Lacrosse QUARTERFINALS

"I see skies of blue, clouds of white..."

Louis Armstrong must have been talking about this day, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the quarterfinal match of the NCAA tournament between the top-seeded Cats and No. 8 Princeton.

The game is a rematch of the 2005 quarterfinal, won 8-6 by NU. The Cats come in riding a 42-match home winning streak.

AND...the Cats are on the board, thanks to a Princeton turnover in front of their net. Casey Donohoe jumped on the ball and scored.

Softball: Northwestern vs. DePaul LIVE BLOG

Welcome back to Sharon J. Drysdale Field for the Evanston Regional of the NCAA Tournament. It occurs to me while I explained to people that Northwestern had not advanced to the second round with its 6-0 win over Western Illinois yesterday that most people do not know how this tournament works.

So here is my best explanation:

The 64-team field is split into 16 regions of four teams each. The four teams within each region play a double-elimination tournament. So today's matchup between No. 11 Northwestern and No. 19 DePaul is not a "win or go home." But it certainly helps to get the "W" in today's first game because it means you do not have to play the rest of the day.

The history between the Wildcats and the Blue Demons is pretty deep. DePaul defeated NU in the 2005 super regional round with a two-game sweep. Both teams reached the Women's College World Series last year.

The Blue Demons took a 5-3 decision in five innings back on April 29. The game was shortened due to darkness. Neither starting pitchers from today started that game. The aces are in the circle for today's game.

DePaul will provide a good challenge and we should be in store for a good game. Becca Heteniak has been as dominant as NU ace Lauren Delaney. She is 32-6 with a 1.19 ERA. She is not a strikeout pitcher like Delaney, but runs do not come easy off her.

The bats for the Blue Demons can come alive too. Amber Patton is batting .401 in the leadoff position and Sandy Vojik is batting .320 with 10 home runs. They do not have the power of the Cats, but they proved a couple weeks ago that they can hang with this team.

If NU does not commit errors defensively -- like they did in the first meeting -- it should find itself through to the regional championship tomorrow.

A pretty split crowd today. The Blue Demon mascot even is making an appearance. All NU has is women's basketball player Amy Jaeschke selling t-shirts at the concession stand.

It is the start of a pretty big day for NU athletics with women's tennis and lacrosse playing NCAA Tournament games too.

First Inning: The Purple Express series gets off to the start you expect when you have two pitchers with ERAs below 2.00. Both pitchers send their opponents down in order. Buckle in, it is going to be a bumpy ride.

Second Inning: Jackie Tarulli-Fisher gets the first hit of the game, but do not think the Cats gave up the hit so easily. Tarulli-Fisher poked one past Nicole Pauly at second base, but Kelly Quinn came charging from right field and nearly got the ball back into the infield for the force out.

NU exacted some revenge as Erin Dyer threw out pinch runner Tara Voss at second pretty easily on the attempted steal. In a game like this, every runner is going to matter. The Cats are still hitless entering the bottom of their lineup.

Third Inning: The back of the order has been coming up big for NU in the postseason. The team has gotten big hit after big hit from the back of the order to set up the big bats at the top. It lead to blowout victories in the first two rounds of the Big Ten tournament.

They started doing it again in the third. Kelly Quinn laid down a perfect slap past the shortstop into center field and then Robin Thompson laid down a bunt which seemed to repel all DePaul players as it settled in the middle of an empty right side of the infield.

But now Tammy Williams has to hold up her end of the deal. She entered the postseason with a batting average around .480, which led the nation. She entered the game with a .457 average and is uncharacteristically struggling this postseason. With runners at second and third, Williams flew out to the shortstop and the Blue Demons survived the first big threat to score.

DePaul took NU's failed chances at scoring in the top of the inning and turned them into runs in the bottom during the first meeting. This time, Lauren Delaney closed the door. Two strikeouts and a ground out to short keeps the game scoreless.

Fourth Inning: Perhaps momentum has shifted to NU. Michelle Batts leads off the inning with a sharp hit to center field. The freshman who plays first base is not the most nimble of players, she usually gets a pinch runner after her singles. But Batts showed off her speed, chugging across the base path for a stand-up double. That kind of hustle should really fire up the team.

They call her "Little Guy" but she has come up with plenty of big hits for the Cats in her three-year career. Add another big hit to the lore of Erin Dyer.

Dyer grounds a ball down the third base line, bringing in Aly Euler (pinch-running for Batts) for the first run of the game. The Dyer sisters have been the most consistent hitters for NU this postseason. The Cats only get one on the board as the defense takes the field.

Errors hurt NU in the first game against DePaul. Not so much this time. Kelly Quinn shows off her range in right field and gets a well-hit ball by Sandy Vojik for the second out. It is the best contact the team has had against Lauren Delaney all game. The one-run lead holds entering the fifth.

Fifth Inning: The Cats' offense is usually associated with power. They showed it off yesterday with three solo shots and they were second in the Big Ten in longballs and in the top 10 in home runs per game in the nation. But small ball is winning this game.

Speedy freshman Robin Thompson led off the inning with a single, she stole a base and advanced to a third on a sacrifice bunt. Jordan Wheeler's slap hit through the middle of the infield scored one. Nothing like a manufactured run straight off the assembly line.

Williams snapped her little slump with a big hit to the center field wall. She stretched it out to a triple, but was tagged out at home after a bad throw to third. The rally has clearly rattled Hetteniak. Batts walked and Nicole Pauly was hit, giving NU a second chance to threaten with two outs and a three-run lead.

And "Big Hit Dyer" (I am taking requests for nicknames) hits one down the left field line and it sneaks inside the foul pole for a three-run home run. Cats have given Delaney a lot of cushion with a five-run inning.

Heteniak got one hit back at least. Her pop up gets lost in the sun and Pauly cannot handle it for the out. The sophomore trades her visor for some sun glasses. Hopefully she remembered some sun screen too... a public service announcement brought to you by the Daily Northwestern.

Cats remain ahead six runs with a new pitcher coming in for the Blue Demons.

Sixth Inning: Cats quiet in that inning facing a new pitcher. But with a six-run lead and Delaney cruising, it may not matter.

DePaul probably lost its best chance to get a run on the board. The top of the team's order goes down 1-2-3 with two strikeouts. This matchup has slowly become a snoozer as Delaney's dominant pitching has quieted the Blue Demons.

Seventh Inning: Delaney makes quick work of the Blue Demons and the Cats advance to the Regional championship game tomorrow with a 6-0 victory.

Erin Dyer went 2-for-3 with four RBIs, including a three-run blast to cap off a five-run fifth inning. The run started thanks to the small ball play at the beginning of the inning from the bottom of the lineup.

DePaul pitcher Becca Heteniak said it best, "Good hitters hit everything." And NU has a lot of good hitters to put pressure on its opponents.

"One through nine our lineup is stacked," Dyer said. "When you know your seven, eight (and) nine batter are getting on base and scoring runs, it makes it that much easier and puts that much more pressure on the other team."

Delaney said getting the runs helped her feel more comfortable in the game. She did not need much as only one runner got to second base the entire game. She scattered three hits and struck out 11 batters. The Big Ten Pitcher of the Year has not given up a run in 35 innings. She has allowed only one run in the past six games.

DePaul coach Eugene Lenti noted how Delaney's changeup has really made her a more dynamic pitcher. She now matches her fastball and rise-ball with some off-speed pitches.

The Cats will return to action in the regional championship game Sunday at noon. They will only have to win one game to advance to their fourth straight super regional and will face whichever team survives the rest of Saturday's games.

"It's about taking advantage of the rest we have and not going to bed happy tonight," coach Kate Drohan said.

Enjoy Sports Editor Jake Simpson's live blog of lacrosse's quarterfinal battle with Princeton.

Softball: Northwestern vs. Western Illinois LIVE BLOG

It is a beautiful day at Sharon J. Drysdale Field. The typical 40 degree playoff weather has given way to a beautiful 70 degree day. The unusual May weather may take the Wildcats out of their usual routine. The lineups are being introduced as Northwestern prepares to take on Western Illinois.

A little bit about Western Illinois: the Westerwinds are 14-31 and made the tournament by winning the Summit League tournament title. Western Illinois has two good hitters in Collen Biebel (.314 batting average) and Smantha Valentine (.420 average). Lor Pankratz is in the circle. She has a 8-12 record and a 3.30 ERA.

The Cats defeated the Westerwinds 8-0 in five innings March 2. Things may not be much different this time around.

First Inning: Lauren Delaney gets three strikeouts, but the Cats go down quietly. NU has not gotten off to good starts lately. The second time around has been the big innings for the team. Good early news though, both Tammy Williams and Michelle Batts hit the ball out deep to right field. Could be a sign of things to come...

Second Inning: ... and how about now. Nicole Pauly takes the second pitch of the inning over the left-center field wall for her team-leading 14th home run and NU goes ahead 1-0. It at least guarantees Western Illinois is going to have to get one run off of the Big Ten pitcher of the year. Delaney has a 1.57 ERA this year, so the Westerwinds have their work cut out for them.

In other news, Kelly Quinn fouls a pitch down the first base line and hits associate head coach Caryl Drohan. She is OK though as Western Illinois contains the damage.

Third Inning: for those who are curious what is a Westerwind... no one is quite sure. But those even more curious will find that Western Illinois is not always the Westerwinds. The men's teams are the Leathernecks and all the women's teams are Westerwinds. There is your aha moment of the day.

Other fun tidbits found on Wikipedia. The school got special permission from the Marines to use their bulldog logo. Not quite Oregon getting permission from Disney to use Donald Duck.

Oh, Delaney got three more strikeouts in that inning bringing her total to seven in three innings.

Fourth Inning: Michelle Batts decided to join the party too. The freshman lined an easy swing over the left-center field wall for a 2-0 lead. NU has a pair of solo home runs... make that three as Pauly hits her second of the day, this one to right field, following Batts' blast. Three solo shots give the Cats a three-run lead. That may be enough with the way Delaney is pitching.

Fifth Inning: the NU outfield gives a rousing rendition of Y-M-C-A as the team digs in for an important fifth inning. The Westerwinds look like they might be making a pitching change and the bats are starting to come alive. The pitching and defense could decide whether this game continues much further.

And Delaney did not start it off well. Her first pitch hits Michelle Neubauer in the mask of her helmet and she takes her base. But Western Illinois cannot get any consistent hitting against NU's hurler. The Westerwinds are having difficulties getting bunts down in fair territory to move the runners they do get and nothing is leaving the infield. The sophomore added two more strikeouts this inning, bringing her total to 11.

Batts adds two more on the board with a two-RBI double and the rout appears to be on with Erin Dyer at the plate and runners at first and second.

Erin nearly ends the game with a three-run blast, but the left fielder catches it at the wall. Let's see what her sister can do...

Kelly does not do too bad. She lines one into center field and plates one to bring the lead to six.

Sixth Inning: Western Illinois may have found its key to success. Colleen Biebel leads off the inning with a passed ball strikeout. It really is a win-win situation. Delaney gets her strikeout and the Westerwinds get the satisfaction of putting a runner on base.

Western Illinois threatens by putting its leadoff hitters on first and second, but NU turns a rare double play to get out of the inning with the shutout still intact.

Tammy Williams continues to struggle this postseason. She is 0-for-4 with a run (reaching on a fielder's choice). The Top-10 finalist for the national player of the year is really struggling this postseason. Her average dipped dramatically from the .480s to the .460s during the Big Ten tournament and her performance today is not helping much either.

Seventh Inning: Delaney sits Western Illinois quickly with two strikeouts in the seventh and NU moves on in the winner's brackets.

Delaney struck out 14 batters and gave up just one hit in earning her fourth straight postseason shutout. Michelle Batts went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and Nicole Pauly was 2-for-2 with two solo home runs.

NU moves on to play rival DePaul, who defeated Drake earlier in the day, tomorrow at 11 a.m.

The Cats were focused completely on themselves after the game as they prepare for a rematch with the Blue Demons. DePaul defeated NU 5-3 in five innings April 29. The game was shortened by darkness. Neither team pitched their aces.

"For a team, I think its just playing good softball how we know, like we have always done," Batts said. "I think that we're our own worst enemies. If we just relax and take care of business, it will be easy."

Lacrosse: NCAA Tournament 1st Round vs. Notre Dame Live Blog

Welcome to Lakeside Field on this dreary, windy, cold and rainy day. This is not lacrosse weather and the whitecaps on the lake are not very inviting, which the Cats may hope works to their advantage today.

Notre Dame and the Cats are playing under the lights this afternoon due to the severe overcast weather.

The big question for NU today is what it will do without the firepower of Danielle Spencer, who was injured during the team's win over Vanderbilt in the ALC title game last Sunday. Despite the hip injury, Spencer is dressed, but likely won't see much action.

Notre Dame's chances at upsetting the top-seeded Cats rest with the play of Jilian Byers. Byers, the Irish's top scorer this season with 67 goals, was held scoreless the last time the two teams met, a 16-2 thrashing by the Cats.

And it's gametime. Meredith Frank wins the opening draw for the Cats who take the ball up the field and almost lose possession, but retain after the ND foul.

28:00 Nielsen passes to Donahoe in front of the net but the shot is broken up.

27:42 Christy Finch hits Ferguson in the head, gets sent off and has a free position. Shoots and scores. NU 0, ND 1. Finch was a bit too aggressive on defense and it costs the Cats the early lead.

26:30 Bowen had a chance, but the shot goes off the post to keep NU out of the scoring column.

25:00 Both teams have been hurt by the iron on the goal post, but NU clearly misses Spencer's ability to finish and draw attention. The Cats so far have taken four shots, but has yet to find the net.

22:13 Bowen hits from the right side and evens the score. NU 1, ND 1. There is a ND player, Rachel Guerrera, down in front of the crease and the trainers just came out to make sure things are alright.

21:14 Several new faces are seeing extended playing time in Spencer's absence: Meghan Plunkett and Brooke Matthews.

19:29 ND posts a solid counterattack, quick and direct and Ferguson has her second goal of the game. NU 2, NU 1.

16:03 Nielsen gets whacked near the face fighting with ND's goalie Goodman outside the crease and NU retains possession. Smart foul by the Irish when its goalie was 10 yards away from the net. The Cats are getting chances, but Goodman is denying them goals. The ND goalie has four saves on eight shots.

10:35 Notre Dame's Gina Scioscia charges from the right side after a Cammarota foul and scores. NU's goalie, Morgan Lathrop has to angry at her defense for taking chances and giving the Irish too many chances. NU 1, ND 3. The officials are calling this game close and by the book, hurting the Wildcats and their physical style.

8:56 Casey Donahoe runs up the field like a freight train, burning by defenders in the neutral zone and sets up Nielsen with a nice pass on the left side. Nielsen hits the top right side for the goal. NU 2, ND 3.

8:27 ND gets a goal after another Finch foul. Stecker puts the Irish lead back to two goals. NU 2, ND 4.

8:00 The Cats have been getting called for tons of fouls, which is completely off-setting Notre Dame's poor passing in the middle of the field. 

4:39 Bowen runs through a throng of Irish defenders on her way to the net and gets the ball by Goodman. NU 3, ND 4.

3:42 Matthews is fouled and given a free position and despite Goodman getting a piece of the ball, it falls to the back of the net for the equalizer. NU 4, ND 4.

3:19 The defense falls apart again. Finch is not playing All-America lacrosse right now and the Irish get an easy goal to retake the lead. NU 4, ND 5.

1:00 The Cats are looking to level the game before the half and are trying to find an opening in the defense for the last shot, but it looks like they wish Spencer was in the game now.

0:09 Bowen runs through three defenders, falls down just ahead of the crease, but manages get to get a shot past Goodman to tie the game before halftime.

Halftime: NU 5, ND 5.

The Cats need to regroup after Notre Dame pulled a fast one on NU's defense. The Irish have been playing solid defense and have been bolstered by the play of its goalie, Erin Goodman. But coach Kelly Amonte Hiller is shaking things up on the sidelines by warming up the ailing Spencer.

29:08 NU takes its first lead of the game on Katrina Dowd's stick-fake goal. Pretending she was going to shoot, she pulled her stick down, let two defenders run past and pulled up for the shot. Now the fans are back into the game even though the wind has picked up and made conditions miserable.

NU 6, ND 5.

28:31 Bad pass by the Irish to end the threat and the Cats counterattack with Bowen up the field, who lost her stick on the charge.

26:56 Frank passes to Nielsen in front of the crease, who jukes Goodman to take a two-goal lead.

NU 7, ND 5.

25:16 The Irish received a big break when Bowen was pushed down in front of the net and no call was made by the officials.

23:41 Bowen was wide open next to the net and scores her fourth goal of the game. Spencer? With her warming up on the sidelines without her coat, the Cats have come out with their guns blazing. Now? Spencer put her jacket back on and might be able to rest her hip another week as her high school teammate is keeping NU's title defense alive with her second half play.

NU 8, ND 5.

20:50 Bowen scores her fifth goal of the game as she blew by her defender from outside the crease and put it in the net.

NU 9, ND 5.

19:51 Less than one minute after Bowen's fifth goal, the Irish rush back to score its first goal of the second half and cut the NU lead to three with Scioscia's goal.

NU 9, ND 6.

18:12 Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the Hilary and Hannah Show. Bowen passes the ball to Nielsen, who scores on a behind-the-back goal past Goodman. The Cats so far are outshooting the Irish 2:1.

NU 10, ND 6.

15:28 Nielsen scores again! Bowen and Nielsen have scored nine of the Cats' 11 goals today.

NU 11, ND 6.

14:44 Nielsen just recorded a natural hat-trick with her third goal in a row and she is on fire, NBA Jam style!

NU 12, ND 6.

12:04 Bowen picks up a ground ball on a fast break behind the defense and dishes it to Nielsen, who scored her sixth goal of the day and her fourth in a row.

NU 13, ND 6.

10:03 Scioscia beats out Finch one-on-one and gets the ball past Lathrop to end Nielsen's scoring streak.

6:23 A timeout allows the Europe's "The Final Countdown" to play to remind the Irish they have under seven minutes to save their season. Great music choices by the booth as Europe is followed by Zombie Nation. Oh, Jock Jams. On a lacrosse related note, the Irish need to step up the intensity and play with a sense of urgency. It also wouldn't hurt if they could stop  Bowen and/or Nielsen. But when they do that they expose other players.

5:36 Donahoe runs in from the right and hits top shelf as the Irish focused on the other stars for the Cats. That was the Cats' 32nd shot. When the Cats took the Irish behind the woodshed in April with a 16-2 win, they only had 28 shots.

NU 14, ND 7.

3:06 Now that was just mean. Dowd takes advantage of Goodman's absence between the pipes (she was out defending) and she bounces a shot in to rub it in.

NU 15, ND 7.

1:03 Frustration is starting to set in for the Irish as they have about one minute left in their season. Odd as Bowen is still in the game as the Cats win the game and advance to the NCAA Quarterfinals against the Princeton Tigers next Saturday.

Final Score: Northwestern 15, Notre Dame 7.

Special Assignment: Red Bull Air Race - San Diego

Day 1:

A night after getting to know the media and discover how great of a city San Diego is, I was pounding bottled water and gratis Red Bull to try to rid myself of a growing headache from the night before.

But looking out onto the water from the Media Center all pain went away and I started to relax under the California Sun, which has yet to reach Evanston.

The day started off as a celebration of Fleet Week, so naturally the fleet sailed through San Diego Bay. Monochromatic destroyers, cruisers and frigates of all sizes slowly chugged underneath the San Diego Harbor Bridge and into the Pacific Ocean. Then if the drone of big ship diesels wasn’t enough, booms could be heard periodically as fighter jets swarmed in pairs in the sky.

But this was all the warm-up for the Air Race, which for someone who had only seen short videoclips beforehand, it was exciting. Having to listen to the live play-by-play and commentary guys was vicious to the ear. They made mistakes and were not that interesting to listen to, but the pre-show was informative and featured helicopters, skydivers and BASE jumpers, including one who paraglided into a moving speed boat.

For those who are unfamiliar with the concept of an Air Race (which I assume is most people) here is a short explanation, which fits into my lunchbreak.

Basically there are 12 pilots and two days of actual racing following training and they are racing super-lightweight aerobatic planes that have top speeds of 250 mph and are very maneuverable. Each plane goes through a series of gates that determine the manner of flight, whether it be horizontal, knife-edge or both. The pilots each get two full runs of the course and only their top time counts toward seeding and if they hit gates, are too low, too high or not at the correct angle, they receive a time penalty of between three and 10 seconds. The top eight pilots move on to a knockout-type quarterfinal round while the other four compete against each other for the last World Cup point. The four fastest in the Super Eight race head to head against in the semifinals to determine the final two, who face off against each other.

After I took a short jaunt to the Old Town Cinco de Mayo festival for some fresh tacos and a wrestling mask, the festivities began just 40 seconds from arrival. The Red Bull Air Race Qualifying was underway. Twelve pilots each had the chance to navigate the 13-gate course twice, reaching velocities of 370 km/h and withstanding almost 10 g’s. The speed and agility of the planes were remarkable as they ran through the course.

The surprising upstart Austrian, Hannes Arch, had the fastest run in training and therefore flew last, upstaging Britain’s Paul Bonhomme, who was fastest in each leg of during the first race of the season in Abu Dhabi.

But Bonhomme would not disappoint the nearly 100,000 fans in attendance. He recorded two of the fastest laps of the day and will have the top-seed in the Super Eights tomorrow.

Behind Bohomme finished two Americans, Kirby Chambliss and the 2007 World Series Winner Mike Mangold.

Sadly, a snafu with Red Bull’s communication meant we were unable to check out the pits or talk to the pilots, but hopefully that will be resolved tomorrow.

Either way, the finals should be very competitive with the Americans trying to pull of the upset over Bonhomme on their home turf.

Day 2:


Attending an event that is sponsored/organized by Red Bull means that a large portion of the Red Bull family will be in attendance. Witness last night. After checking out the first day party, we gravitated to a bar which had a live 80’s cover band and a secluded VIP basement for a less raucous environment. Wandering away from a cougar-fest, I passed moto-cross and rally-car champion Travis Pastrana walking up the stairs (though I didn’t know it was him until I was told later). Once in the basement we chatted with a Red Bull sports manager and introduced ourselves to champion freestyle skier Tanner Hall who was chilling in the corner. I discussed skiing, life and injuries with Hall, who was clearly enjoying himself at the party

“Do you know how many times I’ve reinvented this industry?” the blonde-dreadlocked Hall asked me. “Two, three, five times. You guys haven’t seen anything yet.”

So far the sky is the limit for a guy who recently won his X-Games record seventh gold medal less than three years after breaking both ankles attempting a jump over a chasm in Utah.

Moving on to the second day of the Air Race.

The first event was the Point One race, where the four slowest pilots race for ninth-place and one World Series point. Yesterday, French pilot Nicolas Ivanoff clipped the finish gate and had 10 seconds added to his time, putting him into the chase for the last point instead of posting one of the top times of the day. He responded well with a solid run, crushing rookie Glen Dell by more than 12 seconds. But it was not to last. British pilot Steve Jones clipped Ivanoff by a little over a second with an ultrafast second lap through the course to get the last point.

The last man into the Super Eights after Ivanoff, Hungarian Peter Besenyei was actually slower than three of the Point One competitors, which was probably due to his outdated plane (though he said he is getting a model in for either the next race or the following one).

The excitement continued when four pilots all compiled times within a second of each other, with Hannes Arch leading the bunch with a time of 1:20:04, followed by Mike Mangold, Kirby Chambliss and Michael Goulian. If the hot leader from qualifying, Bonhomme, stumbled and acquired a penalty in the windier conditions, Goulian would advance to the semifinals. But alas for the youngest American of the bunch, as Bonhomme crushed the course, beating Arch by more than two full seconds and reestablishing his dominance this season.

Bonhomme did not have a run above 80 seconds in five attempts over the weekend, but the rest of the pilots raised their game as only four were left flying.

In the first semifinal Bonhomme beat Chambliss with by just .79 seconds and Mangold upset Arch by .3 seconds to face-off against Bonhomme, something that was a recurring match-up last year.

But while Bonhomme blew the championship last season to allow Mangold to win, Bonhomme showed why he was the hottest pilot this year.

Posting another sub-78 second run, he beat Mangold by more than one minute to continue his streak of dominance and give him another nine World Series points. He now leads the championship with 18 and Mangold is second with 15.

As the race finished up, I jumped on a plane of my own to fly back to Evanston, thankful I got to see what this was all about (and also having the chance to visit San Diego during Fleet Week and a huge party).