Colorado
Northwestern
Buffs Ready for Showdown With Northwestern
February 20, 2024 | Lacrosse
BOULDER — The Colorado Buffaloes lacrosse team is set for a home showdown with the defending champions and No. 4 ranked Northwestern coming to town. Both teams will square off Thursday at 11 a.m. at Kittredge field.
"We are excited to host Northwestern on Thursday," coach Ann Whidden Elliott stated. "This is a great opportunity for our program. We are excited about our start but know we have to keep getting better on all ends of the field to continue to find success."
The Buffs currently ride a three-game winning streak to start the season, and have won all three contests by just a single score. Colorado was recently named as high as No. 19 by USA Lacrosse Magazine in the week two poll. They also were ranked No. 20 by the IWLCA.
Both sides of the ball are clicking, with CU fresh off sweeping the Pac-12 Player of the Week Awards. Madeline Pisani and Jess Peluso were named Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week by the conference after their performances this past weekend against Penn State and Saint Joseph's. Pisani was also named IWLCA Offensive Player of the Week.
Northwestern entered the season as the consensus No. 1 team in the nation and has a record of 2-1 through three games. After taking down No. 5 Syracuse in the season opener, the Wildcats dropped their second game to No. 8 Notre Dame in South Bend. They bounced back with a dominant 21-3 win over Marquette the following game.
With Colorado now ranked inside the top-25, they will be the third ranked team the Wildcats have played in their first four games of the season. It will be the first ranked matchup of the year for the Buffaloes.
"Northwestern is a great team," Whidden said. "They have so much talent and everyone on the field, offensively and defensively, is capable of making a play. We will need to be at our best, being aggressive and disciplined. I am proud of this teams mentality and how they have battled over the first 3 games. We are excited for this challenge and focused on our game plan."
INSIDE THE SERIES
These two squads have played each other four times in the past, but Thursday will be the first matchup since the 2018 season.
The Buffs hold a 1-3 record all-time against the Wildcats, earning the one win in program history in 2017 at home, winning in overtime 11-10. Northwestern defeated CU all three times at home in 2015, 2016, and 2018.
KEY STATISTICS
- Madeline Pisani sits atop of the Pac-12 Conference with 13 goals and ranks fourth nationally.
- Pisani has scored four or more times in each of the first three contests
- Goalkeeper Danielle Heintz has 21 saves through three games, ranked second in the Pac-12. Third highest save percentage (41.2%) in the Pac-12.
- Jess Peluso leads the conference in caused turnovers (6).
- Colorado starts the season 3-0 for the first time since 2022 when they started 5-0.
