Thursday, March 31

College Park, Md.

6 p.m.

Northwestern

4-5, 0-1B1G

Maryland

9-0, 1-0B1G

Team	1	2	Final F
Northwestern	2	2	4
Maryland	5	12	17

Wildcats Drop Big Ten Opener at No. 1 Maryland

3/31/2016 9:29:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — The eight-ranked Northwestern lacrosse program dropped its Big Ten Opener at No. 1 Maryland Thursday night, 17-4.

The Wildcats will look to bounce back on their east-coast trip this Sunday when they take on No. 16 Penn in Philadelphia. Opening draw is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT and the game can be seen on the Ivy League Digital Network.

Freshman goalkeeper Mallory Weisse made eight first-half saves and finished with 10 for the second-straight contest and fourth time this season. Unfortunately, the Terrapins had a freshman keeper of their own that played well to prevent the 'Cats' offense from finding its rhythm. Megan Taylor finished with 11 saves for the Terps.

The top-ranked Terrapins delivered the first big punch in the first half to take an early 4-0 lead. Megan Whittle got the Terps on the board just 54 seconds in and a Wildcats turnover led to a transition goal Caroline Steele at the 27:02 mark.

After two more unanswered goals, Weisse began to stymie the Terps' offense. The reigning Big Ten Freshman and Defensive Player of the Week made eight saves and allowed just one more goal over the final 24 minutes of the half to help the 'Cats get back into it.

With Weisse stone walling the Terps' offense, senior Kaleigh Craig got the 'Cats in the scoring column with 7:38 to play in the first half. Craig worked her way around the right side the fan all the way to the back of the cage where she beat her defender 1-on-1 to the front and buried a shot to cut the deficit to 4-1.

WATCH: Kaleigh Craig gets the #B1GCats on the board at No. 1 Maryland. https://t.co/vM8rpSvysG
— Northwestern Lax (@NULax) March 31, 2016

Maryland responded with a goal just over two minutes later by Zoe Stukenberg, but NU was able to counter with just 28 seconds left in the half.

Sophomore Shelby Fredericks continued her stellar play and extended her point streak to eight games with a hard bounce shot that found the back of the cage and the Wildcats headed to the break down, 5-2.

WATCH: Fredericks extends point streak to 8 games and cuts #B1GCats deficit to 5-2 going into halftime. https://t.co/6jGYNuBwee
— Northwestern Lax (@NULax) March 31, 2016

Maryland senior Taylor Cummings scored back-to-back goals to start the second half to extend the Terrapins' lead to 7-3 before Fredericks recorded her second point of the game on an assist to junior Danita Stroup with 23:57 to play. Fredericks found a cutting Stroup who went underhand with her back to the cage past Taylor for her seventh goal of the season.

GOAL! #B1GCats cut the deficit to 7-3 on this pretty backhanded goal by Danita Stroup. Assist to Fredericks. https://t.co/G12FkM9DmA
— Northwestern Lax (@NULax) April 1, 2016

The Terps quickly thwarted any chance of a NU comeback however, scoring four goals in less than four minutes as a part of a 6-0 run that pushed the lead to double digits.

Redshirt junior captain Christina Esposito was able to extend her own point streak to five games with he ninth goal of the season with 13:39 to go. The streak matches her career long previously set from February 24 to March 16, 2013.

WATCH: Christina Esposito scores her 8th goal of the season. #B1GCats https://t.co/49NWEXK7dU
— Northwestern Lax (@NULax) April 1, 2016

Individually, Fredericks and classmate Selena Lasota led the 'Cats with four draw controls apiece, while junior Catie Ingrilli matched her career high with two caused turnovers.