Northwestern Wildcats

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

In a sense, I am all the more looking forward to Northwestern’s season next year because I want to see who might step in to fill the breach. Maybe it will be multiple players, or maybe none, but it will still be interesting to track. Perhaps there are some players who didn’t go all out due to shyness or maybe respect for the seniors or a sense of security knowing that Izzy Scane was on the team. I don’t know. Just thinking.

NU can score with anyone. Missing Scane this season will create an opportunity for another young lady. Stopping the opposition has really been the problem. Kelly took over the defense for the last couple of seasons and to be honest there didn’t appear to be much difference from her prior defensive coach, they were still really undisciplined ……. and well just plain bad. Sure they can dominate teams with less talent but in a head to head battle with a top 5 team who can hang with them scoring wise they will be exposed unless changes have been made. I think their vulnerability is caused by their constant pressure and always pushing out defensively to contest each pass leaving them reaching and lunging and out of position defensively. A good team who can move the ball will welcome this pressure. There’s a shot clock…….you really don’t need to fly out defensively and leave your self out of position. I’m surprised an innovator like KAH hasn’t adapted to the new game.

Great post. Couldn’t agree more. The Cats yellow card spree in last season’s national semifinal was embarrassing. They played shorthanded for a ridiculous amount of time due to their lack of practical defensive strategy and discipline as you said. Until that changes, there won’t be an 8th hoisted any time soon. It’s the coaching staff. They need to come up with a defensive strategy and philosophy that works against today’s big dogs.

[Matnum PI]

Just a bigger version...

[8meterPA]

Just a bigger version...

philly goalie!!

[Lax101]

NW defensive philosophy historically when they won all the championships was to pressure out and play man to man but that only works when you have superior athletes and speed. I think those days are gone - other teams have equal speed and talent. That said, I could have sworn KAH did adapt by playing mostly a zone last year. Does anyone know if that is the case. Pressuring out when playing a zone may make you susceptible as well. Teams like Cuse, SB and JMU run great packed in zone. I think NW is on the outside looking in when it comes to Final 4 without Scane. The 4th spot could go to a team like Princeton, JMU or even Duke.

[Brownlax]

NW defensive philosophy historically when they won all the championships was to pressure out and play man to man but that only works when you have superior athletes and speed. I think those days are gone - other teams have equal speed and talent. That said, I could have sworn KAH did adapt by playing mostly a zone last year. Does anyone know if that is the case. Pressuring out when playing a zone may make you susceptible as well. Teams like Cuse, SB and JMU run great packed in zone. I think NW is on the outside looking in when it comes to Final 4 without Scane. The 4th spot could go to a team like Princeton, JMU or even Duke.

They ran a backer zone most of the year with freshman Kendall Halpern being the backer. I could see Halpern move to the offensive side of the field this year just like Scane did back in the day. She is a super athlete who can get to goal.

[Itsallgood]

NW defensive philosophy historically when they won all the championships was to pressure out and play man to man but that only works when you have superior athletes and speed. I think those days are gone - other teams have equal speed and talent. That said, I could have sworn KAH did adapt by playing mostly a zone last year. Does anyone know if that is the case. Pressuring out when playing a zone may make you susceptible as well. Teams like Cuse, SB and JMU run great packed in zone. I think NW is on the outside looking in when it comes to Final 4 without Scane. The 4th spot could go to a team like Princeton, JMU or even Duke.

They ran a backer zone most of the year with freshman Kendall Halpern being the backer. I could see Halpern move to the offensive side of the field this year just like Scane did back in the day. She is a super athlete who can get to goal.

Ms Halpern is exactly who I was thinking of when I posted earlier, ( about having a player slide into her spot ) she may not put up Scane numbers ( who does) but is a tremendously talented young lady.

[Lax101]

KH is a very good player that has never been a big scorer even in high school. Some kids are just more comfortable on the offensive end. Common for elite teams to move middies that are great athletes to defense in college - every team must be defensive minded first. That is why Schleicher, Scales and Roman all play defense at BC. They were middies their entire life. And BTW it will take a handful of girls to do more offensively to make up for Scane.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

Northwestern's Instagram account featured this post yesterday in anticipation of their opening game vs Boston College. Sophomore attacker Leah Holmes right out front flanked by Lauren Gilbert and Brennan Dwyer. I would have thought Erin Coykendall instead of Dwyer but what do I know. This choice and arrangement of players could portend who carries a lot of the offensive workload for the Cats in 2022. If such is the case--Let's Go Leah Holmes!

[Bart]

Northwestern's Instagram account featured this post yesterday in anticipation of their opening game vs Boston College. Sophomore attacker Leah Holmes right out front flanked by Lauren Gilbert and Brennan Dwyer. I would have thought Erin Coykendall instead of Dwyer but what do I know. This choice and arrangement of players could portend who carries a lot of the offensive workload for the Cats in 2022. If such is the case--Let's Go Leah Holmes!

IDK, it is just a social media post. Who knows why these three were picked for this particular picture and this particular post. Perhaps they are all the same height? You will drive yourself and others batty trying to ascertain the "meaning" of any social media post.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

Northwestern's Instagram account featured this post yesterday in anticipation of their opening game vs Boston College. Sophomore attacker Leah Holmes right out front flanked by Lauren Gilbert and Brennan Dwyer. I would have thought Erin Coykendall instead of Dwyer but what do I know. This choice and arrangement of players could portend who carries a lot of the offensive workload for the Cats in 2022. If such is the case--Let's Go Leah Holmes!

IDK, it is just a social media post. Who knows why these three were picked for this particular picture and this particular post. Perhaps they are all the same height? You will drive yourself and others batty trying to ascertain the "meaning" of any social media post.

Entries on social media often inspire food for thought and don’t come anywhere near to “driving me batty”. I think this Instagram post is ready fodder for discussion. With Scane out for the year and McKone graduated, it’s valid to ponder who will help carry the offensive load in their absence. I doubt mulling that would drive anyone “batty”—least of all, Wildcats fans. After all, I did post this on the Northwestern Wildcats topic board.

IDK, perhaps you might consider that presumptuous comments like yours would fit into the aforementioned “driving others batty” category. Rather than add anything to the discussion (to say nothing of FanLax) you chose to focus on me. The offensive workload distribution of the 2022 Northwestern Wildcats is infinitely more interesting to talk about than me. And that ain’t no presumption.

[Bart]

Northwestern's Instagram account featured this post yesterday in anticipation of their opening game vs Boston College. Sophomore attacker Leah Holmes right out front flanked by Lauren Gilbert and Brennan Dwyer. I would have thought Erin Coykendall instead of Dwyer but what do I know. This choice and arrangement of players could portend who carries a lot of the offensive workload for the Cats in 2022. If such is the case--Let's Go Leah Holmes!

IDK, it is just a social media post. Who knows why these three were picked for this particular picture and this particular post. Perhaps they are all the same height? IT WILL DRIVE ANYONE BATTY trying to ascertain the "meaning" of any social media post.

Entries on social media often inspire food for thought and don’t come anywhere near to “driving me batty”. I think this Instagram post is ready fodder for discussion. With Scane out for the year and McKone graduated, it’s valid to ponder who will help carry the offensive load in their absence. I doubt mulling that would drive anyone “batty”—least of all, Wildcats fans. After all, I did post this on the Northwestern Wildcats topic board.

IDK, perhaps you might consider that presumptuous comments like yours would fit into the aforementioned “driving others batty” category. Rather than add anything to the discussion (to say nothing of FanLax) you chose to focus on me. The offensive workload distribution of the 2022 Northwestern Wildcats is infinitely more interesting to talk about than me. And that ain’t no presumption.

You crack me up. You really do. You are right...I should have said it will drive ANYONE batty trying to to decipher the offensive workload from a picture on flipping social media post. So I have fixed that for you.

Here is my thought on this.........this is a picture. Nothing more. I would have no more even thought that one athlete would have been on there rather than another. If it was Ms Coykendall or Ms Dwyer it does not matter. I certainly would not have brought up one at the expense of the other. My thought on the offensive workload is that.....I'll find out in a few weeks. If you know and understand the relative strengths of the players in question you could certainly post this but that has nothing to do with a picture on social media.

I will go with what KAH has said.......the offensive workload will have to be more spread out. And wait and see what happens. The fact that an athlete is or is not on a social media post would not change that. If that is the direction that NW is headed in a Scane devoid season then this fits into a stength of Ms Coykendal....feeding the ball. But we will certainly have to wait and see and a picture on social media does not make that any more or less fodder for discussion than prior to the post.

Stay strong............

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

Sophomore attacker Leah Holmes didn’t put up any gaudy numbers in her first year with the Wildcats but she did put some ink on the scoresheet as she potted 21 goals in 16 games. From what I remember, she had a certain confidence and sparkle to her game. I’m looking forward to seeing what 2022 has in store for Ms. Holmes and the rest of the Purple Gang.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

Interesting--the Wildcats are taking the humble road by saying they're the 5th ranked team in the nation, not the 4th. (Unless it's a typo.)
Doucette's going for the Gene Simmons effect with her warpaint.

[Dr. Tact]

I'm not a fan of the over-the-top War paint....they had eyeblack on yesterday in an indoor facility .

In our area of the country, High school lax powers have disallowed the eye black warpaint. Something to do with "intimidation"?

[Dr. Tact]

I'm not a fan of the over-the-top War paint....they had eyeblack on yesterday in an indoor facility .

In our area of the country, High school lax powers have disallowed the eye black warpaint. Something to do with "intimidation"?

UVAs Kiki Shaw has war paint on today in a snow storm... Lots of glare from the quarter inch of light snow

[tothedraw]

Not a fan of the face paint either, and it's a pain to get out of uniforms.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

I’ve come to appreciate it. I like the connection with native America and how the warriors used to don the warpaint before entering battle. Some of my favorite players have worn it, like Gabby Rosenzweig, and continue to wear it, like North and Maddie Howe.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

They scored 24 goals against Marquette last night but I don't know--the team still looked uninspired the same way they did vs BC. Maybe a better trained eye can see what's off with this team. How can one criticize a running clock victory? They just look off somehow, kinda going through the motions. Anyone else see the game? Thoughts?

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

Northwestern's Instagram account featured this post yesterday in anticipation of their opening game vs Boston College. Sophomore attacker Leah Holmes right out front flanked by Lauren Gilbert and Brennan Dwyer. I would have thought Erin Coykendall instead of Dwyer but what do I know. This choice and arrangement of players could portend who carries a lot of the offensive workload for the Cats in 2022. If such is the case--Let's Go Leah Holmes!

From last night's win over Marquette. What'd I say...

[Lax101]

Amazing how much better these players were just 2 days after playing BC when they scored a collective 2 points.