Free-Position Shooting Boosts Northwestern in 14-10 Win Over Denver

EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern attacker Dylan Amonte cradled the ball, eying her teammates working around the Denver defense as she waited for the perfect target to emerge.

Then came Izzy Scane, quietly making her way across the top of the arc. Amonte sent the ball her way, and Scane swiftly buried it in the back of the net.

Scane’s third goal of the day handed Northwestern a 10-9 lead with around 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter against the Pioneers on Saturday. It was a lead the Wildcats would never relinquish, using a fourth quarter surge to power past Denver 14-10 at Ryan Fieldhouse in a rematch of last season’s NCAA semifinal.

“Mid-third quarter, after we scored, we said, ‘Let’s work even harder than we’re working now,’” attacker Madison Taylor said. “We pushed it into another gear.”

Fouls ended up stealing the show in the game, with the Pioneers tallying 36 to the Wildcats’ 15. Northwestern took advantage early, with its first four goals coming on free positions. It also provided some relief from their initial struggles cracking Denver’s zone.

Denver coach Liza Kelly said they knew Scane, Taylor and Erin Coykendall were all strong free-position shooters. The Pioneers didn’t want them on the eight-meter, she said, but ended up with them on the line constantly.

Four of Taylor’s five goals came from the eight-meter arc, while Scane scored two of her four from the line. Northwestern ended up with 18 total free-position shots, scoring eight of them — including three in the fourth quarter.

Northwestern coach Kelly Amonte Hiller said it took time for the Wildcats to figure out what the Denver defense was giving them, but they succeeded toward the end. 

“In the late stages of the game, we were able to make our eight meters and finish our shots,” Amonte Hiller said. “That’s key. When you’re playing against a zone defense, you’re probably going to get a lot of eight-meter shots, fouls. You have to be able to capitalize on whatever the team is giving you.”

The Pioneers managed to turn a scoreless first quarter into a competitive showing in the second, pouring in four goals to cut Northwestern’s lead to 5-4 by halftime. Speed was key for Denver throughout the game’s middle stretch, taking advantage of draw control victories to move the ball quickly and score.

But Northwestern’s defense remained calm and composed. Goalkeeper Molly Laliberty, who recorded her 600th career save during the game, tallied 12 saves (54.5 percent).

Laliberty said she can get “fiery” during games, crediting teammates like Hannah Gillespie and Carleigh Mahoney with keeping her calm when required.

“They’re great at grounding me and grounding the rest of the defense, helping us to flush anything that didn’t go our way,” Laliberty said. “That was helpful.”

Both Mahoney and Gillespie were part of what turned into a strong defensive night for the Wildcats. Northwestern caused 13 turnovers, sticking with the Pioneers and holding them to just two goals in the final frame.

While the defense held strong, Northwestern took control on offense. The unit settled in throughout the second half, utilizing measured offensive possessions with off-ball movement. Draw controls helped, too, with the Wildcats winning 17 draws to Denver’s 11.

Denver’s fouls ended up proving the difference-maker, allowing the Wildcats to run away.

It was all about not letting this aggression affect their game, Taylor said.

“We talked about it a lot [before the game], having that mental toughness and emotional control,” Taylor said. “We knew coming in they were going to be aggressive, but that wasn’t going to affect us. We [were] just going to play even harder and show them, ‘You can be aggressive as you want with us, but we’ll still score.’”