No.1 Maryland women’s lacrosse has been the best team in the sport all season.

But the Terps knew that coming into Thursday against No. 4 Northwestern, it was going to be a test. And it was.

A near comeback effort fell short as Maryland lost for the first time all season, 11-10, to the Wildcats.

It was a solid battle, but the Terps couldn’t ever build a big enough lead and ultimately fell behind in the fourth quarter. 

“It was a hard-fought game, what a battle, I mean two really talented teams, and [I’m] proud of our team who kept fighting the entire way, never gave up,” said head coach Cathy Reese.

That said, despite falling behind. Maryland almost tied the game with a minute remaining as Kori Edmondson scored. There wasn’t enough time to score again.

The undefeated season is over. 

“Shooting wasn’t great. I don’t think our eight meters were great. One for four, our man up wasn’t excellent,” said Reese, “ so just little details that we need to tighten up.”

Northwestern has consistently been one of Maryland’s toughest competitors over recent years, and it happened again on Thursday. 

The fourth quarter was tied and almost even. The Wildcats had a 24-22 shot advantage, and the Terps had a 9-7 advantage on draw controls.

Just two minutes into the fourth quarter, Lauren LaPointe came around from the back of the crease and shot right above the heads of the Northwestern defenders and into the bottom right corner of the goal. 

The Terps broke the tie, but then lost it. 

Northwestern’s Madison Taylor scored, tying the game. Then, the Wildcats scored twice more in the fifth minute of the fourth quarter, gaining a two-goal advantage. That lead was enough to hold Northwestern in a solid position to win despite Maryland’s late efforts.

Maryland hadn’t scored since the seventh minute and after two Northwestern goals past goalie JJ Suriano, it was tied – the latest in a game Maryland had been tied since their game against Georgetown.

That said, even that time. Maryland broke the tie with a goal from Edmondson with four minutes left in the third quarter. But as Thursday’s game went on, a theme arose – the Wildcats always tied the game, this time it was Abby LoCasio.

Twice throughout the game, there were reviews for dangerous follow-through after a goal had been counted on the scoreboard, and both times the goal was redacted causing the score to fluctuate. Both times this call was affirmed the team that called for the review subsequently scored.

Just two minutes into the second quarter, the top scorer for Northwestern, Madison Taylor, scored a goal from the top of the eight. Taylor then helped continue the momentum for her team, assisting Taylor Lapointe in a goal, tying up the two teams.

That tie didn’t last for long, though, and not due to another goal from Maryland, but due to a call from the referees for a dangerous follow-through, rescinding the goal and giving Lapointe a green card.

The first quarter was the Terps’ best quarter and the only quarter they won in this matchup. Maryland dominated on offense, earning all of the draw controls and shooting 11-4. The Terps started hot on both ends of the field. On offense, Kayla Gilmore scored, setting them up with a 1-0 lead. Then, on the defense, Northwestern attempted a shot, but JJ Suriano saved it.

“She’s [Kayla] such a talented player and I’m like, you have so much more in you,” said Reese, 

“And on offense, you don’t just need to be a draw person.”

Keeley Block scored the second goal of the game for the Terps, and three minutes later Gilmore scored her own second goal. Northwestern’s Aditi Foster was able to slip one in the first quarter with a rocket to the top left corner of the net with five minutes left.

In the sixth minute of the second quarter, Gilmore had her third goal of the day, earning a hat trick and furthering the lead for the Terps. In the second quarter Taylor scored both goals for the Wildcats after goals from Gilmore and Lipkin.

“We’ll process this game, get ready, have a day off tomorrow, try and get our bodies rested and recovered, and then get back at it,” Reese said.

Thursday was Maryland’s last regular-season home game. It just happened to also be the first loss.