No. 1 Maryland women’s lacrosse vs. No. 4 Northwestern preview
· Yahoo Sports
With the regular season nearing its end, No. 1 Maryland women’s lacrosse will face its toughest opponent yet in its final home game.
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After taking down Rutgers 18-11 on Thursday, the Terps will return to take on their kryptonite in No. 4 Northwestern. The Wildcats have won nine of the last eleven matchups between the two teams, including a 2-0 series victory in 2025. Maryland lost to Northwestern in the Big Ten Championship last year by just one goal despite holding a 6-2 lead at the half.
“Both teams are different teams this year, it doesn’t really mean anything,” head coach Cathy Reese said. “The game starts at 0-0, and it’s up to the play on the field to determine where that ends.”
The Terps will get their chance at redemption on Thursday at 6 p.m., with the match taking place in SECU Stadium and airing on Big Ten Network.
No. 4 Northwestern Wildcats (9-3, 3-1 Big Ten)
2025 Record: 19-3, 8-0 Big Ten
Since taking the helm in 2001, Wildcats head coach Kelly Amonte Hiller has solidified both herself and her program in the annals of lacrosse history. The Maryland alum took over Northwestern when it wasn’t yet a varsity sport, carrying them all the way to an undefeated national title run in 2005. Since then, Amonte Hiller has been one of the winningest coaches in the sport, claiming eight NCAA Championships and reaching the finals in each of the last three years.
This year featured a slow start for the Wildcats, as they suffered unranked losses to Colorado and Ohio State early on. Since then, Northwestern has caught its stride and claimed four straight victories, most notably a 17-16 overtime thriller in a title-game rematch against then-No. 1 North Carolina.
The Wildcats are the only team Maryland has a losing record against, with a 13-12 record favoring the former. The last time the Terps came out on top was in 2022, meaning only four players on the roster have ever beaten Northwestern.
Players to watch
Madison Taylor, senior attacker, No. 25 — The consensus No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming WLL Draft, after having set the single-season goals record with a 109-goal 2025 campaign, Taylor is one of the toughest players in the nation to stop. The senior has been equally impressive this season, standing second in the country with 4.83 goals per game and a Big Ten-leading 78 points on the season. She isn’t just part of the gameplan — she is the gameplan.
Madison Smith, redshirt sophomore midfielder, No. 21 — Despite not starting the first four games of this season, the draw specialist has made a huge impact in just eight games commanding the circle. Smith stands third in the Big Ten with 89 draw controls, but also leads the conference’s most efficient circle unit. As of Tuesday, the Wildcats lead the Big Ten with 209 draw controls.
Jenika Cuocco, graduate student goalkeeper, No. 23 — Taking over for 2025 All-Big Ten second team honoree Delaney Sweitzer, Cuocco has provided a steady presence between the posts. The goalkeeper has logged 102 saves so far — the second-highest total in the conference behind JJ Suriano — while also posting a respectable .490 save percentage.
Strength
Goalscoring. Similar to the Terps, Northwestern boasts an incredibly deep offense. The talents of Taylor Lapointe and Aditi Foster behind the historic Madison Taylor have created an offensive powerhouse that averages 16 goals per game and a +81 goal differential.
Weakness
Shooting accuracy. While fairly sound across the board, the Wildcats’ one flaw may be shooting on frame. Despite a solid 46.8% shooting percentage, Northwestern’s 70.7% shots on goal percentage ranks seventh in the conference, suggesting issues in shot selection for its attack.
Three things to watch
1. Playoff preview? Maryland and the Wildcats have been the two highest-ranked Big Ten teams since the start of the season, and Thursday’s game may provide a preview for a potential rematch in the Big Ten Championship. However, Reese wants to maintain her season-long approach: focusing on one game at a time.
“It’s easy to get lost in the noise of what’s outside your program. And so for me, I just really want to keep our team laser focused on the task at hand and being present where their feet are,” Reese said.
2. SECU Stadium shootout. With both teams averaging a combined 30.5 goals per game, Thursday’s contest looks to be one of the highest scoring this year. This will put a large emphasis on Maryland’s backline, which has allowed 36 goals across three games.
3. Kayla Gilmore’s comeback. Gilmore missed the majority of Maryland’s draw attempts against Rutgers due to being ruled out for an illegal stick. Reese will need her top faceoff specialist in top form against Smith.
“Kayla’s adjusting and adapting, and I think she’s done a really good job of that. So no doubt in my mind [that] she’ll be prepared,” Reese said.