Maryland women’s lacrosse faces Rutgers in Big Ten quarterfinals

No. 7 Maryland women’s lacrosse (12-4, 4-2) faces Rutgers (7-9, 1-5) on Saturday in the Big Ten quarterfinals.

The Terps are coming off a 16-12 victory over Princeton, which coach Cathy Reese said was her squad’s first complete performance.

“I thought that Princeton was probably the first game that offensively we came out and executed for four quarters,” Reese said. 

Maryland has struggled with scoring droughts this season which have allowed opponents to go on runs and open leads. 

In their last home match, the Terps scored twice in the second and third quarters, allowing Penn State to go on a 9-2 run and ultimately claim the victory. 

It looked like history would repeat itself when Maryland failed to score for the first nine minutes of the second quarter against Princeton. But Hannah Leubecker scored a goal near the six minute mark, spurring a 10-1 run into the fourth quarter. 

Leubecker, Kori Edmondson, Eloise Clevenger and Chrissy Thomas all netted hat tricks against the Tigers, showcasing the attacking depth Maryland possesses. 

Coming off a senior season where she struggled to stay fit amid injuries, Leubecker has starred in her final season in College Park. She leads the Terps with 45 goals and has scored eight hat tricks this year. 

Thomas has also been on a tear lately, scoring 10 goals and adding six assists in her last four games. She has a .467 shot percentage this season, the highest of Maryland attackers with at least 30 shots. 

On the defensive side, the Terps have been one of the better squads in the nation. Maryland ranks second in the Big Ten in scoring defense, allowing 8.81 goals per game.

The Terps have been particularly strong at shutting down teams and getting stops in the fourth quarter, something Reese said will be crucial in the one-and-done playoff matches. Maryland allowed just two goals combined in the fourth quarter in its recent wins over Johns Hopkins and Michigan.

“I think our success is about not being selfish but selfless,” defender Kennedy Major said. “It’s stepping up and saying, ‘I’m gonna play for Emily [Sterling] and my teammates.’”

The Terps’ first postseason test is against a Rutgers squad they previously defeated 13-8 in the conference home opener. Leubecker scored a season-high six goals in the victory. 

The Scarlet Knights’ leading scorer Cassidy Spilis added five goals. Spilis leads the Big Ten and ranks third in the country with 68 goals this season. 

Despite the difference in records, Reese said her squad is making sure to not overlook their opponent. 

“We know it’s the end of the season and we’re gonna get their best game for sure,” Reese said. “And they’re a really challenging opponent.” 

If Maryland can defeat Rutgers, it will face the winner of the Penn State-Ohio State game in the semifinals.