The Maryland women’s lacrosse team earned the No. 1 overall seed and will face the winner of Virginia and Johns Hopkins in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in College Park on Sunday afternoon.
Coach Cathy Reese’s squad topped Northwestern, 12-9, in the Big Ten Tournament championship game Sunday to secure an automatic berth into the field.
“We’re in the championship segment of our season,” Reese said after the Terps’ win over the Wildcats. “Everyone that steps on the field and competes for a championship is giving everything they have.”
The Terps ended the regular season undefeated and topped Rutgers 19-9 in the semifinals of the conference tournament Friday night. They have not lost a game since being eliminated by Ohio State in the semifinals of last season’s Big Ten Tournament.
Maryland topped four of the six teams in its bracket this season. In their first April contest, the Terps topped Cornell (13-4), 17-9. They beat Princeton (11-5) on the road, 15-6, and defeated Virginia (9-8), 17-6, on Senior Night.
Of all the teams in Maryland’s side of the bracket, Johns Hopkins (10-7) remained the most competitive throughout its entire matchup with the Terps.
The Terps trailed the Blue Jays 6-3 at halftime but came from behind in the final moments to take a 10-8 lead they wouldn’t relinquish. It was the only time they were down entering the intermission this season.
Canisius (13-6) and Massachusetts (18-1) round out the Terps’ side of the bracket. Maryland beat Massachusetts, 19-8, in their first NCAA tournament game last season.
Led by seniors Taylor Cummings and Alice Mercer, the Terps are seeking their third consecutive national championship. They returned only five starters this season.
As they prepare to face either the Blue Jays or Cavaliers, the Terps boast the nation’s best offense and sixth-best scoring defense.
