With an eighth consecutive trip to the Big Ten Tournament semifinals on the line, No. 3-seed Maryland women’s lacrosse seemed positioned to take care of No. 6-seed Rutgers at home Saturday afternoon. But Sophia Cardello and Cassidy Spilis had other plans.
In a game that featured four ties and five lead changes, Cardello made a season-high 15 saves for Rutgers in goal, including two in the final 30 seconds, to quiet Maryland’s attack. Offensively, Spilis powered the Scarlet Knights’ attack with a seemingly casual four-goal performance, helping lead her team to a 9-8 win.
“[Our shooting] has been our Achilles’ heel this year,” Maryland head coach Cathy Reese said.