The last time midfielder Kori Edmondson finished with one goal, Maryland women’s lacrosse suffered its worst margin of defeat since 2021.
Edmondson scored just once in Saturday’s matchup against No. 19 USC. But this time, the Terps won, 16-8.
Maryland’s depth shined while Edmondson’s offensive impact was limited. Five different players recorded multiple goals, allowing the Terps to achieve their largest win against a ranked opponent all season.
Edmondson has been the lynchpin for Maryland throughout the season. The junior leads the team in goals, points and ground balls, and is second in caused turnovers and draw controls.
“[Edmondson’s] a two-way middie … it’s a position that’s not as common as it was in the past,” coach Cathy Reese said in March. “I put a lot on her back but … she’s ready to take on the challenge.”
[No. 8 Maryland women’s lacrosse uses largest run of the year to throttle No. 19 USC, 16-8]
Edmondson entered the contest with three consecutive four-goal games, prompting the Trojans to keep at least one defender near the Tewaaraton Award Watch List player at all times. They stacked the edge of the eight-meter line with alternating double teams whenever Edmondson attempted to drive toward the goal.
USC’s focus on Edmondson left man-to-man matchups for other players, and the Terps adjusted by hurling passes inside. Midfielder Jordyn Lipkin benefited from that style, scoring both of Maryland’s first-quarter goals near the cage.
The Terps scored nine times in the following quarter. They appeared to adjust their attack, as three of their first four goals came from the right side of the Trojans’ defense.
Maryland also fluctuated their shot placement as attacker Chrissy Thomas scored twice in the opening two minutes on shots between the legs of freshman goalkeeper Charlotte Morton. Nearly two minutes later, attacker Shelby Sullivan rifled her 16th goal this season into the upper right corner.
[Maryland women’s lacrosse uses second-half comeback to defeat Arizona State, 18-14]
Sullivan’s goal ignited Maryland’s freshmen, as three of the following four goals came from first years, sparking a change in goal from Morton to sophomore Annie Shields.
The Terps’ underclassmen continued to carry the offensive burden after the break, scoring all five second-half goals. Three of those came from attacker Lauren LaPointe.
The sophomore started slow for the Terps, scoring once through the season’s first eight games. But LaPointe has recently emerged, tallying eight goals in her past four games. LaPointe’s hat trick on Saturday marked her second during that stretch.
LaPointe’s first two goals were similar as she gathered a pass outside the 12-meter arc before gaining speed and using a big windup to overpower Shields. She tallied her third just more than two minutes later, becoming the second Terp to score three goals in a quarter on Saturday.
With the Big Ten tournament nearly two weeks away, the Terps may need their secondary scorers to continue producing to have a chance at making a deep run.
