Fourth time won't be the charm to knock off Northwestern

Could the fourth time be the charm to knock off three-time defending national champion Northwestern ? Perhaps. The Wildcats ' 36-game win streak dating back to last season was broken by Penn when mental breakdowns and lackluster plays kept Northwestern from getting past the Quakers' tough defense.

But that was one game.

"We're glad the loss happened in the regular season and not the playoffs," junior Hannah Nielsen told the Daily Northwestern after the game.

Kelly Amonte Hiller 's built nothing if not a focused program -- uncelebratory after wins, the only thing the Wildcats focus on each season: winning the national championship. They've done it three times in a row now, and despite the bullseye on their backs, cruised through the season, beating teams by an average of nine goals.

This year might be a little tougher for the defending champs, with a confident Penn team gunning to prove it can knock off Northwestern again, Syracuse riding the only offense more explosive than the Wildcats ' and East Coast schools like Virginia ready to bring the crown back to where they think it belongs.

"I don't think anyone feels comfortable in the first round," said Duke coach Kerstin Kimel, whose squad faces Georgetown in the first round. "And whoever does [advance] faces a bear of a second round. I think there are a lot of teams capable of winning the tournament."

So watch out Wildcats , just like you did four years ago, you never know who could sneak up on you.

Northwestern (17-1) vs. Notre Dame (12-6)

Northwestern may be the favorite to win, but don't rule out a tough game against Notre Dame . The Irish were booted from the Big East tournament via a triple overtime loss to a Georgetown team that came within one of Northwestern during the regular season. Plus, Big East midfielder of the year Caitlin McKinney will be motivated by her last chance to avenge a loss in the semifinals two years ago.

Unfortunately for McKinney, she'll be facing a team that outscores its opponents by an average of nine goals a game and features Aussie national team star Hannah Nielsen, US national team midfielder Meredith Frank and All-America Hilary Bowen.