In the 2025 Big Ten Championship game rematch, the Wildcats held the same script and replicated it.
Despite trailing two goals for the first half while being dominated by Maryland (13-1, 5-1 B1G) in draw controls, Northwestern (10-3, 4-1 B1G) returned in better form in the final 30 minutes and made an 11-10 comeback. The victory makes Northwestern the first team to beat two No. 1 teams in a season since 2012.
Madison Taylor led the way with four goals and one assist. The leading scorer also won a team-high
five draw controls. Aditi Foster followed up with three goals. The ‘Cats’ goalie Jenika Cuocco led the team’s defense with nine saves, picking up four ground balls.
On Maryland’s end, Kayla Gilmore led the team with three goals. Kristen Shanahan and Kori Edmondson contributed two goals apiece.
Maryland won the opening draw, launching the first attack against Northwestern by Shanahan, which was blocked by Cuocco. Seconds later, the ‘Cats’ Kate Ratanaproeksa picked up the groundball and earned a free-position chance, but Taylor’s shot hit the post.
With just two minutes in, the Terrapins’ Kayla Gilmore darted through the gap between two Northwestern defenders and slammed through Cuocco’s coverage for the first point of the game. The Terrapins continued to attack in the next minute, with Shanahan taking a free-position shot that was corralled by Cuocco.
The ‘Cats gained control in the next possession but failed to respond at the 10:27 mark. Maddie Epke fired a bouncing ball, but it was saved by JJ Suriano. Maryland then took a 2-0 lead in a counter, led by Keely Block, who ripped through Northwestern’s backfield defense. Northwestern took the first media timeout with 9:34 minutes left in the first period.
Coming back, the ‘Cats again got beaten in the draw circle, and the Terrapins again threatened with two more attempts — both denied by Cuocco. The graduate goalie had tallied four saves in the first seven minutes.
After Maryland narrowed down the space to target Taylor defensively, the opponent then rolled back for a 3-0 lead, scored by Gilmore in a quick attack. After Lexi Dupak won another draw, Shanah earned another free position as Hannah Ruldoph’s foul but missed the chance.
Northwestern eventually broke the drought at the 5:10 mark in the opening frame. Aditi Foster roamed outside the circle and looked for an angle, ripping a powerful shot in distance for the ‘Cats’ first point.
Raileigh won the Terrapins’ fifth draw control, but she dropped the ball on the right sideline under Northwestern’s pressure. Northwestern then rallied through this possession, but Suriano stepped up to deny Epke’s free-position shot.
The ‘Cats claimed the ball in the last minute, but Mary Carroll lost the ball through Jordyn Lipkin’s back check. Maryland led 3-1 after the first quarter.
Ratanaproeska took her second foul at the beginning of the second and gave another free position to the opponent. Lauren Lapointe’s later shot drifted wide, and Cuocco sealed off the Maryland play to reset. With Maryland remaining cold, Northwestern responded with its second goal by Taylor, who beat the defense through a cut and swung it home.
Epke eventually won the first draw control following the goal. Taylor delivered to Taylor Lapointe when she was dodging two defenders on the right elbow. Lapointe collected the volley, spinning toward the crease for the ‘Cats’ third goal without hesitation. However, the goal was overturned after a review found Lapointe had illegally followed-through, which also earned her a yellow card.
Cuocco kept tightening up Northwestern’s defense with another save, but the ‘Cats couldn’t tie the score as Noel Cumberland’s turnover when she rushed forward in an attack. The Terrapins then converted this mistake into their fourth goal via Gilmore’s free position, forcing Northwestern to take another timeout now down 4-2.
Dominating in shots and draw controls, Maryland continued to punish Northwestern for a larger lead of three goals. Lapointe delivered to a wide-open Lipkin from the back of the crease for the home team’s fifth goal.
Northwestern released three consecutive shots, but nothing went through Suriano. Taylor then forced the ball back when she checked on the Maryland goalie, closing the gap to two goals in the next play.
Jaylen Rosga fought through the body on the corner and claimed the groundball, but Jenna Soto stepped out of bounds and immediately gave Northwestern’s possession away. In the last three minutes before halftime, both teams exchanged back-and-forth possessions, but couldn’t sustain anything. The ‘Cats trailed 5-3 after one half of play.
Despite losing the opening draw in the second half, NU successfully fought for the ball after Maryland mishandled it. But the ‘Cats’ passing turnover switched gears for Maryland. After organizing outside the perimeter, the Terrapins found space and launched another offensive bombardment. Though Cuocco contributed two tough saves, she failed the third as Northwestern’s defense remained sloppy. But the score remained 5-3 due to Lapointe committing a foul, which voided her goal.
Aditi Foster again stepped up and broke the silence for the ‘Cats, cutting through sticks and firing it home to make it a one-goal deficit. The ‘Cats then regained their offensive dominance and put up two shots. The tying goal eventually came with 8:36 left in the third quarter, as Taylor spun on the right post and whipped a close shot with space, evening the score at 5-5.
Building on that momentum, Taylor set the offense for Northwestern with another draw-control win. Despite a turnover that turned the ball away, NU earned the ball back through a strong defensive play. Ratanaproeska tried a long shot, which was corralled by Suriano.
About four minutes later, the Terappins’ Kori Edmondson buried a bouncing ball for Maryland’s first goal of the half, as it retook a 6-5 lead. Northwestern again tied it up, however. After a series of shots, Taylor spotted Abby LoCasio up front and fed her for an open shot. But Shanahan allowed Maryland to regain a 7-6 lead in just 40 seconds.
After LoCarsio’s shot was blocked away, Northwestern picked up the rebound through chaos inside the perimeter. Cumberland found wide-open space in front of her and took a stride for the goal. The score was knotted at 7-7 heading into the fourth quarter.
Maryland regained the lead with Lapointe, who leapt for a quick shot on the left post and netted the ball in. But Lapointe limped off the field after a hard collision with Madison Smith. The ‘Cats then went back on offense and immediately put up another tying goal, this one by Taylor again.
Northwestern took the first lead after earning a free position. Despite facing a hard interference by a defender’s stick, Lapointe beat the pressure and put the ‘Cats up by one with 11 minutes to go.
The ‘Cats then extended for a two-goal lead. After Cumberland caused the turnover and fought the ball back. Foster capitalized on the possession and blasted another shot from the right, helping Northwestern extend its lead to 10-8.
Maryland earned a golden opportunity and crashed downfield, but their offense wilted under the ‘Cats’ defensive pressure, and Cuocco came up to pick up the ball. As the offense resumed, Northwestern scored. Ratanaproeska reeled over two defenders and beat Suriano for her first goal of the night. Northwestern cruised to an 11-8 advantage at 6:20.
With five minutes left, the Terrapins stormed back. Shanahan broke down the ‘Cats’ intensified coverage and cut their lead to two points. Cuocco again anchored the defense, causing Block’s turnover for a ground ball. But the’ Cats failed to contain the Terrapins’ comeback power. Edmondson made it to a one-goal game after juking out all Northwestern defenders. NU took a timeout with 58.7 seconds to go.
In crunch time, Taylor won a crucial draw for Northwestern. The ‘Cats ran the clock effectively until drawing a green-card foul by Block, and Maryland couldn’t change anything in the final ten seconds. Northwestern completed an 11-10 comeback win in College Park.
Up next, the ‘Cats will face Rutgers next Wednesday at 4 p.m CT in the penultimate conference game of the season.
