Izzy Scane (four goals), Dylan Amonte (three goals), Smith (three goals) and Erin Coykendall (three assists) had plenty of opportunities to produce, and they were largely successful, but the U.S. defense was up to the task.
Lydia Colasante, Kaitlyn Davies and Eliza Osburn were pesky and didn’t budge when staring down Scane, coming off a 99-goal season and a Tewaaraton Award. They hardly blinked when Coykendall was throwing head and stick fakes and trying to create space. And they didn’t back down when the Northwestern offense was humming in the second quarter.
The team’s younger players had to lean on the unspoken leadership of players like Epke, Madison Taylor (three goals), Baker (two goals) and Emma LoPinto, who have significant college experience.
“I think actually just playing with them has taught me so much about myself and how the U.S. should be playing,” Humphrey said.
It was a contest of mirroring styles, leaving the team best able to execute as the winner. Helmed by Northwestern head coach Kelly Amonte Hiller, the U.S. team played to a similar script — pressure defense, freelance offense and endless transition chances.
That made it even more impressive that the U.S. finished Saturday’s game with the edge in shots (29-26) and ground balls (15-12). Northwestern also turned the ball over seven times in the second half, a testament to the pressure exhibited by the U.S.
Humphrey enjoyed playing Amonte Hiller’s style.
“It really is fun,” she said. “It's a lot of freelance. Do whatever you want, figure it out, and if you mess up, keep going. Don’t dread any of your mistakes. I think her offense worked against her defense.”
NORTHWESTERN TOPPLES CANADA
Northwestern will walk away from Saturday with a 1-1 record after beating Canada 16-7 in the day’s first game. A 6-6 game at halftime, Northwestern unlocked its offense in the third quarter when Scane (two goals) and Coykendall (two goals, one assist) made their first appearances of the Fall Classic.
NORTHWESTERN-CANADA BOX SCORE
That tie quickly turned into a 12-7 Northwestern lead, and Noel Cumberland punctuated a 4-0 fourth-quarter run with two goals of her own.
Hannah Johnson, who missed the entire 2023 season, made up for lost time with four goals on six shots with one assist.