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From media releases

The Virginia women’s lacrosse team scored 13 goals on Northwestern, more than twice their average goals allowed, and more than any other team has scored on the `Cats in 2007, but the Cavaliers still fell 15-13 in the NCAA Championship final. The two-goal deficit was also the closest any other team has come against the Wildcats in the final 21 games of the season. Virginia (19-4) had eight different players score goals, including Megan O’Malley, who had three goals; Megan Havrilla had two goals and added two assists to end up as the Cavaliers’ top scorer. Kaitlin Duff had three caused turnovers to lead all players, and Brittany Kalkstein had five draw controls to lead UVa.

Virginia burst out of the gates, scoring twice in the opening 90 seconds as O’Malley and Ashley McCulloch both scored to stake the Hoos to a 2-0 lead. NU countered with a 7-0 run, with Hilary Bowen scoring two of her game-high five goals in that run. The teams traded goals for the remainder of the half, and Northwestern took an 11-6 lead into halftime.

The Cavaliers, who staged the largest comeback in NCAA history in the semifinals against Duke by coming back from a five-goal deficit at halftime, opened up the second half with a 5-1 run in the first eight minutes, with goals coming off the sticks of five different players. Kate Breslin’s goal at 21:44 on an 8-meter shot pulled the Cavaliers to within one at 12-11. A Meredith Frank goal off a pass from Hannah Nielsen pulled the “Cats back in front by two, but Duff caused a turnover in the deep corner and started a clear that saw McCulloch covert a pass from Havrilla to cut the deficit back to one at 14-13 with 16:25 to play.
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From media releases

The Virginia women’s lacrosse team will face Northwestern on Sunday, May 27 in the NCAA Championships final in a game at 7 pm to be held at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Pa. The contest will mark the third time in four years that these two schools have met in the NCAA Championships, and each time the winner of the game has won the national title. The title game will be televised live on CSTV.

In 2004 Virginia defeated Northwestern 15-11 in the NCAA quarterfinals; Virginia went on to win the NCAA title two games later. In 2005, the ‘Cats defeated Virginia 13-10 to cap an undefeated season and win their first-ever NCAA title. Northwestern also won the 2006 NCAA title and are on an 11-game win streak in the NCAA Championships; the Cavaliers were the last team to defeat Northwestern in NCAA play. Virginia enjoys a 5-2 lead in the series with the ‘Cats.

The ‘Hoos are playing in their fourth final in five years; the Class of 2007 has reached the NCAA final in three of their four seasons and have a record of 10-2 in the NCAA Championships. Only 10 classes in history have won 10 games in their careers.
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