Northwestern beat North Carolina 14-11 to win ninth NCAA lacrosse title
Northwestern claimed their ninth NCAA Division I women’s lacrosse national championship by defeating North Carolina 14-11 on their home field in Evanston.
Freshman Gabriella McCollester proved to be the unlikely hero, scoring a career-high four goals in the second half.
She was thrust into the action after senior attacker Lucy Munro sustained a first-quarter injury.
Tewaaraton Award finalist Madison Taylor was instrumental for the victors, contributing six assists and scoring the final goal.
Taylor Lapointe and Aditi Foster also registered hat-tricks to ensure the Wildcats became the first team since 1984 to lift the trophy on home turf.
Tar Heels mount strong comeback
The hosts had initially surged into an early lead, forcing an opposition timeout within the opening five minutes.
However, the fiercely contested final was deadlocked at 6-6 heading into the half-time interval.
Following the restart, the Tar Heels embarked on a 3-1 scoring run to snatch their first advantage of the match.
During this dominant spell, reigning national player of the year Chloe Humphrey found the net to tie the Division I single-season record with her 109th goal.
Late surge secures historic victory
Despite falling behind, the home side demonstrated immense resilience in the fourth quarter.
McCollester completed her hat-trick to level the match at 11-11 before the hosts unleashed a devastating flurry of five unanswered goals.
A formidable defensive effort shut out the North Carolina attack for the entire final 15 minutes, supported by 11 crucial saves from goalkeeper Jenicka Cuocco.
The triumph cements head coach Kelly Amonte Hiller’s legacy as the most successful coach in Division I national championship game history.
Having resurrected the Illinois-based program in 2005, she now boasts an unprecedented nine national crowns.