Despite playing sloppily for the majority of the contest, No. 2-seed Maryland women’s lacrosse found its way into overtime of the Big Ten championship.
But with less than a second left in the period, defensively-minded midfielder Annabel Child rounded a pick and sent a long-range sidearm snipe into the back of the net to dash the Terps’ title hopes.
In nearly identical fashion to its title-game loss last year, a final-minute score dashed Maryland’s hopes of a conference championship, and No. 1-seed
Northwestern won in an 8-7 thriller.
Staring down a four-goal deficit with 11 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the Terps stormed back on four quick scores. That run sent Maryland to overtime for the second consecutive game and the Big Ten championship to overtime for the first time ever.
Maryland goalkeeper JJ Suriano had succeeded against Northwestern in the past, having logged 30 total saves in Maryland’s last two games against the Wildcats. Suriano’s first stop of Sunday’s matinee came 57 seconds in when she denied Aditi Foster on a wide-open attempt.
The save gave Maryland its first scoring opportunity, and Kori Edmondson took advantage 77 seconds later to secure an early lead.
But with Jenika Cuocco making six saves in the following 10 minutes, the Wildcats answered back with a three-goal run. The two goalkeepers had 30 combined saves on the day, with 18 of those belonging to Cuocco. She set a new program high and tied the save record for a Big Ten Championship match.
Northwestern’s run was fueled by the presence — but not the goalscoring — of No. 1 WLL draft pick Madison Taylor. The attacker was repeatedly double-teamed, but that ripped holes in Maryland’s man defense and left other Wildcat attackers open in the arc.
When the Terps adjusted defensively in the second quarter, the goals ceased, and the scoreboard remained unchanged for the entire frame. Defender Maddy Sterling was given the sole role of guarding Taylor and made the Wildcat a non-factor.
However, Maryland’s offense couldn’t take advantage, committing seven turnovers in the second frame while going 3-for-8 on clears. These mishaps limited the Terps’ opportunities — they only unloaded five shots to Northwestern’s 11.
With Taylor Lapointe tagged for a dangerous follow through and Maddie Epke being caught offside, Maryland had a chance to cut the deficit in half just before the break. But after a Lauren LaPointe bobble, the Wildcats scooped the ball and drained the clock, surviving down two players.
The four-goal first half marked the lowest total in Big Ten championship history.
The one-goal first half marked the Terps’ lowest scoring opening since its win over Georgetown in February. Maryland’s 14 shots following the opening goal failed to put a dent in Northwestern’s two-goal advantage. The Terps missed four free positions and failed to take advantage of player-up situations.
Just five minutes into the second half, Child had doubled the Wildcats’ lead, with two quick goals leaving Suriano stunned in the crease.
Maryland’s scoring drought ticked to 33 minutes, its longest of the season, before finally being broken by another unlikely scorer in Maisy Clevenger.
Foster netted her second score of the game less than three minutes later, but Kristen Shanahan matched her 74 seconds after on the Terps’ first successful free position. Maryland had another two-player advantage in the final minute of the frame, but it was denied in a similar fashion with Cuocco’s 12th save of the game.
Lucy Munro and Edmondson then traded goals as the three-goal gap remained with 10 minutes left in regulation. Clevenger and LaPointe scored just over six minutes later, pulling the lead within one.
With the clock ticking down, the Terps needed the spark they had in their last two contests to put the win within reach. And on her fourth shot of the game, Keeley Block answered Maryland’s prayers on a close-range dart from the right wing.
The Terps’ 4-0 run came from shots from the wings. They were finally able to find gaps in Cuocco’s blockade and earned an opportunity in overtime.
However, Maryland couldn’t repeat its magic from Friday, losing in heartbreaking fashion.
Three things to know
1. Denied between the posts. Cuocco’s career day was huge for Northwestern’s win, saving 72% of Maryland’s shots on goal. The graduate student also made three crucial saves in overtime, giving the Wildcats the possessions they needed to finish the job.
2. Costly missed clears. The Terps struggled mightily getting the ball downfield, failing on 33.3% of their clears. Those missed opportunities cut Maryland’s offensive possessions while giving Northwestern ample time on the attack.
3. The streak continues. With Sunday’s loss, the Terps extended their winless streak against the Wildcats to seven games. It also marked Maryland’s fourth straight year without a conference title, as Northwestern completed the four-peat.
