CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The Maryland women’s lacrosse team was in an unfamiliar situation on Wednesday night.

The Terps have trailed early in games before but not to the extent they experienced against Virginia. For the first time this season, they were behind in the second half.

But down 9-8 with 25 minutes left, the Terps found a rhythm and overcame Virginia’s threat for a 16-11 win.

“We knew coming down the day of, midweek, it was going to be a challenge because it always is,” coach Cathy Reese said. “We started off kind of slow, went down a couple of goals, and we needed to get our composure, poise and figure stuff out, and I think we started to do that.”

[Read more: Maryland women’s lacrosse overcomes a second-half deficit to beat No. 18 Virginia, 16-11]

The No. 18 Cavaliers took the lead 39 seconds in, and the Terps needed almost 27 minutes to even the score at Klöckner Stadium. The No. 1 Terps finished the first half on a 4-1 run and went into the locker room ahead 7-6, but Virginia regained a second-frame lead.

The game changed soon after.

Trailing by one seven minutes into the second half, midfielder Jen Giles stretched across the middle of Maryland’s defensive end to intercept a Virginia pass. Her caused turnover led to a goal from attacker Taylor Hensh.

Giles’ play sparked a sequence of stops for the Terps, including two saves from goalkeeper Megan Taylor and a caused turnover from midfielder Lizzie Colson. After Colson’s play, Giles scored to give the Terps a 10-9 lead with 16 minutes remaining.

Maryland didn’t trail again.

“Virginia was a really good team at throwing it in the middle, and unfortunately, they were able to score a few goals on us by doing that,” Giles said. “So I just tried to read that pass. Luckily, I came up with it.”

The Terps also stifled Virginia’s offense, allowing one goal in the final 14 minutes. Taylor started slow but finished with 10 saves.

Virginia goalkeeper Rachel Vander Kolk gave the Terps trouble, too. The junior made 12 saves, denying Maryland several times from close range.

Vander Kolk’s performance drew praise from the Terps, including attacker Caroline Steele, who went to school at Severn, down the road from Vander Kolk’s alma mater, Severna Park.

“I’ve known her for forever and she’s great, she’s amazing, and, yeah, she’s tough,” Steele said. “She made some really great saves today.”

Despite their troubles, the Terps developed a scoring touch down the stretch. Caroline Steele led with five goals and added two assists. Attacker Megan Whittle chipped in a hat trick and an assist, while three players had two goals and two added one apiece. Virginia posed perhaps the Terps’ toughest clash this season, but the team said its mindset never changed.

“They fought hard and for us it was that we needed to focus on our game and stay confident in us and getting back to how we play,” Giles said. “When we carried through with that, we were able to come up with it.”