Northwestern will play for its second consecutive national title in women’s lacrosse — and the ninth in program history — after defeating Florida 15-11 in an NCAA semifinal Friday at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C.
The Wildcats (18-2) will meet the winner of the second semifinal between Boston College and Syracuse in Sunday’s championship game (11 a.m., ESPN).
Top-seeded Northwestern got five goals from Madison Taylor and four from all-time NCAA goal-scoring leader Izzy Scane to knock off the upstart Gators (20-3).
Lindsey Frank added three goals for the Wildcats, who led by only one — 10-9 — after three quarters but pulled away with four straight goals to open the fourth after a 45-minute weather delay.
Maggi Hall scored five goals and Danielle Pavinelli three for Florida.
With a win Sunday, the Wildcats would be the first back-to-back national champs since Maryland in 2014-15, and coach Kelly Amonte Hiller would break a tie with Cindy Timchal — Amonte Hiller’s former coach at Maryland — for the most Division I national titles with her ninth.
