In a classic battle between defense and offense, the top-seeded Cats’ offense reigned supreme over No. 5 Denver’s nation-leading defense.
While it was a slow start for the ‘Cats, ultimately Northwestern flipped the script and held the Pioneers in their first-ever Championship Weekend appearance to only two second-half goals.
Denver, known for its swarming zone defense, gave up double-digit goals for the first time this season. While the ‘Cats were rattled early, they found their groove and were able to play more physically in their own defense as a response.
“I was just really proud of the way that we were able to execute, still have strong offense, even though their defense is so stingy,” Head coach Kelly Amonte Hiller said.