In the final minute of Wednesday’s game, No. 2-seed Maryland women’s lacrosse barely held a one-goal lead. 

As No. 7-seed Ohio State threatened to send the game into overtime, the Terps needed a big play to keep their Big Ten Tournament hopes alive. 

It came from their goalie, JJ Suriano. As the Buckeyes’ senior attacker Zoe Coleman rushed in front of the goal, Suriano denied her. Suriano’s save helped preserve Maryland’s 10-9 win in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals. 

Suriano didn’t carry the Terps, but came through when they needed her most.  

Maryland’s performance was evenly distributed. It got key contributions through offensive opportunities, free positions and defensive consistency. 

Wednesday was a rematch from just four days prior. Although the Terps beat the Buckeyes, 13-9, on Saturday, Wednesday’s win was much more difficult. 

It could’ve been because it was a return to Ann Arbor – a place where Maryland suffered its worst loss of the season last Thursday. It could’ve been because of the intensity of the Big Ten Tournament. Whatever the reason was, the Terps had a harder time this go around with the Buckeyes. 

The defense was tighter; both teams clearly had an edge and knew a win was needed to advance in the tournament. For as great as Maryland’s season has been, it has hit struggles recently and this game wasn’t a sure thing. 

It was back and forth. That said, it needed to hold on to the lead it built in the first half – something it’s had to do all season. 

After having a one-goal edge in both of the first two quarters and an even third. Maryland clung to a two-goal lead heading into the final stretch. 

Under a minute into the fourth, Jordyn Lipkin scored her third goal to earn a three-goal lead and a hat trick. 

That said, Ohio State answered quickly with two goals, cutting the deficit to one with over 10 minutes remaining.

The Terps were in danger of blowing the lead, but with just over four minutes left, Kayla Gilmore converted a free position shot – something that aided the Terps through many stretches in this game. 

But the Buckeyes didn’t go away. Abby Boyle scored with a man-up, leaving three minutes for the Terps to defend the lead. 

With Suriano’s clutch save, the Terps survived. 

Three main offensive factors aided Maryland: free positions, being a man-up and hat tricks. 

Kori Edmonson and Lipkin each struck three times. Edmonson scored exclusively on a free position, a man-up or both. Lipkin scored two of her goals at even strength and one with a man-up.

The Terps got on the board with back-to-back free throws and converted another in the first. They had two more free-position goals, finishing with five. In addition, they scored three times with a man up. 

Only a minute after Edmondson’s goal, Ohio State also broke its scoring drought from a free position opportunity for Zoe Coleman.

Kate Tyack was a thorn in Maryland’s side. She recorded a hat trick and was a main factor to why Ohio State stayed competitive. 

The Terps survived. Their last two wins have come over the Buckeyes. Moving forward, they will avoid the two teams they’ve lost to – No. 4-seed Michigan and No. 1-seed Northwestern – until the Big Ten championship game. 

Maryland will likely have to defeat a team it has already beaten and one that it fell to if it looks to win the tournament.