North Carolina women's lacrosse players head into this weekend prepared for a fast-paced scuffle as they enter the NCAA tournament semifinals for the second consecutive season. Third-seeded UNC faces five-time defending champion Northwestern today at Johnny Unitas Stadium in Towson, Md., in a repeat of last season's title game matchup.
In last year's championship, the Wildcats defeated the Heels 21-7. This season the Heels handed them their only loss of the season, an 18-16 defeat in Evanston, Ill.
The Heels are led by senior midfielder Jenn Russell, who was recently named as one of five finalists for the Tewaaraton Award and one of four finalists for the Honda Award, which are given to the nation's top women's player. UNC coach Jenny Levy said Russell is a reliable player whom she will use this weekend as a defensive stopper as well as an offensive threat. Though Russell's stats are not eye-popping - just 41 points - her impact in the midfield is ever-present.
Russell talked this week with staff writer Edward G. Robinson III.
Q: Who introduced you to lacrosse?
I really started playing when I was in high school [at Brooks School]. I went to a private school in New England [Andover, Mass.] and we're required to do three sports. I really liked soccer and basketball and decided to play lacrosse, and ended up finding success in it and grew to love it.
Q: How has your game evolved since you were a freshman?
I play in all areas of the field. I kind of adjust to the people we're playing against. I try and do everything I can to really focus on ground balls. I try not to do too much, just marking my girl to the best of my ability. Defense is something that I really like and I think comes a little more naturally than attack. Especially one-on-one defense, I've really grown in that area through practice and experience. I'm more defensive-minded.
Q: Where have you had to improve the most?
Definitely my stick skills. I started playing a little bit later. A lot of the people on my team have great stick skills, and that's something I've really tried to aspire to and reach their level. After my sophomore year, Jenny told me that if I didn't get better I was just going to play defense. So I worked a lot over the summer and came back junior year with a lot more confidence.
Q: How will your experience in last season's Final Four help your team this season?
We're really playing our best lacrosse right now. And that gives us a lot of confidence going into the postseason. It definitely helps having been there before. You know what to expect, and you don't get caught up in all the excitement. It's just playing any old game. Like anything, you learn a lot from doing something. We all did, especially from that national championship game. We realized what it takes to get there and actually win it.
