Maryland women’s lacrosse entered Saturday’s matchup against Johns Hopkins struggling offensively, shooting below 32 percent and scoring single-digit goals in each of its last three games.
But that changed in the No. 8 Terps’ win over the No. 10 Blue Jays, as they scored 13 goals and shot more than 40 percent — their highest mark in two weeks. In the final regular season game, the Terps’ leaders led the surge.
“We displayed confidence and poise through the whole time, even when they were coming back … [we] answered with goals,” coach Cathy Reese said.
In Maryland’s prior three games, captains Chrissy Thomas, Jordyn Lipkin and Kori Edmondson combined to score on just a third of their shots. Against Rutgers, the trio combined for six goals, but only Lipkin scored through the first three quarters.
Rutgers goalkeeper Lexie Coldiron played a key role in the Terps’ struggles. The graduate student, who leads the nation with 183 saves, held Maryland to just eight goals.
Early on, the Terps aimed high on most of their shots but found little success. It wasn’t until the fourth quarter — when they began targeting Coldiron’s hips and legs — that their approach finally began to pay off.
[Jordyn Lipkin leads No. 8 Maryland women’s lacrosse in 13-11 win over No. 10 Johns Hopkins]
“We needed to move her and put the ball around her lower [half],” Reese said on Friday. “Once we figured that out and made a shooting adjustment, I think they did much better.”
Edmondson did just that on her eventual game-winning free-position goal, rifling a shot past Coldiron’s right hip. The goal was Maryland’s fourth on six shots since changing shooting strategies.
Maryland’s captains continued the success in their following game against the Blue Jays, combining for nine of the Terps’ 13 goals and shooting at nearly a 53 percent clip.
After freshman Shelby Sullivan turned the ball over on Maryland’s first two possessions — both leading to Johns Hopkins goals — Lipkin quickly halted the run. The senior answered with goals on three of Maryland’s next five trips, exploiting gaps in the Blue Jays’ zone with sharp off-ball movement.
“When they start with a goal, you have to respond,” Lipkin said. “Whatever happens in the first five minutes isn’t gonna determine what the game’s gonna end up being. So I think it’s just staying calm, composed, knowing our game plan.”
Lipkin’s third goal ignited the rest of Maryland’s offense, sparking a 8-5 run to close the half. That surge gave the Terps a much-needed cushion, especially as uncharacteristic struggles in the draw circle kept the game from ever feeling fully in hand.
[Maryland women’s lacrosse beats Rutgers 8–7 with late push, keeps Big Ten title hopes alive]
For just the second time this season, Maryland lost the draw battle, with Johns Hopkins winning 17 of 27, including a 9-4 edge in the second half that fueled four two-goal deficits. Still, the Terps’ captains shot efficiently enough to hold off a late push.
While Lipkin spearheaded Maryland’s offense in the opening quarter, Thomas led it in the fourth — scoring two goals in the final frame. Her aggressiveness was on display in her final goal, blowing past her defender and scoring through the legs of Hopkins’ goalie with less than three minutes left — Maryland’s third straight answer to a Blue Jays goal.
“We didn’t end on a run [but] we were able to answer on the goals that they had,” Reese said. “We didn’t let them go on a run, and that was what was huge for us.”
The Terps will face Rutgers again for the second time in three games on Wednesday in the Big Ten Tournament. The Terps will likely need their offense to stay in double figures to avoid a repeat of last season, when Rutgers defeated Maryland in the Big Ten Quarterfinals.
With the Terps seeing success by shooting low on Coldiron in their last game, they may seek to utilize a similar strategy.
