Northwestern
Syracuse
Northwestern Heads East to Face No. 6 Syracuse
2/24/2025 2:19:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
EVANSTON, Ill. – The No. 3 Northwestern Wildcats (4-1) are set to take on the No. 6 Syracuse Orange (3-1) in a highly anticipated matchup at 3:30 p.m. ET (2:30 p.m. CT) on Tuesday. The game will be broadcast live on ESPNU from the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, N.Y., with Jay Alter and Charlotte North on the call.
The Wildcats are riding a wave of momentum, having won their last two games at home, and are about to face their first road test of the season. Northwestern boasts a 2-1 record against ranked opponents, most recently defeating No. 25 Colorado with a commanding 20-5 win. Junior standout Madison Taylor tied her career-high with six goals in the victory, marking her third such performance this season. Taylor leads the nation in goals (26), goals per game (5.20), points (35), and points per game (7.00).
Northwestern's offense shined against Colorado, with nine different Wildcats finding the back of the net. Graduate transfer Riley Campbell made a return with a stellar performance, recording three goals and an assist. Meanwhile, Taylor Lapointe earned her first career start, contributing to the Wildcats' offense.
The Northwestern-Syracuse rivalry is rich in history, with the Wildcats leading the all-time series 15-7. However, they haven't secured a victory in Syracuse since February 29, 2012, when they edged out the Orange 11-9. The last ten matchups have been evenly split at 5-5. In last year's showdown, Northwestern won 18-15 at home, with Taylor scoring just 22 seconds into the game and finishing with four goals and two assists.
Adding another layer of intrigue to this year's contest is graduate transfer goalkeeper Delaney Sweitzer, who joined Northwestern from Syracuse. Sweitzer had an exceptional 2024 season with the Orange, starting all 22 games, recording 198 saves, and earning Second-Team All-ACC honors. Last season, she made a season-high 13 saves against Northwestern. Now, she'll face her former team in a pivotal top-10 clash.
Syracuse began their 2025 season on a high note, securing wins over No. 7 Maryland, UAlbany, and Cornell. However, the Orange faltered in their ACC opener against No. 2 North Carolina, falling 16-8. Despite the loss, Syracuse remains a formidable opponent, dropping only to No. 6 in the IWLCA rankings.
Tuesday's matchup promises to be a thrilling battle between two top-ranked teams. Fans can tune in on ESPNU at 3:30 p.m. ET (2:30 p.m. CT) to catch all the action.
