Stick Season: Start of the Vengeance Arc

UNC is the biggest threat to the ‘Cats, but may not even get the chance to up-end them in the national championship game.

A Fading Dynasty: Maryland

Seven years ago, Maryland found itself in its own backyard in Baltimore winning its 14th national title over Boston College, 12-10. At the time, the program was the best of the best, the cream of the crop, the greatest of all time.

But since 2019, the Terps’ haven’t been in the national championship game. They’ve only appeared in the Final Four once since the turn of the decade and have exited in the second round three times, most recently being booted by Penn in a shocker that ignited the lacrosse world. This year, they play host to another regional in College Park, with the intentions of leaving no doubt and rising out of it to contend for a national title.

There’s no doubt that Cathy Reese and company have extra reason to gun at Northwestern in hopes of derailing them off their Cinderella-esque run to a national championship at home. After losing its last three matchups against the ‘Cats by a single goal — one of those being an extremely physical regular season tilt, the other two the Big Ten Tournament Championship — one can only imagine the hunger that infatuates the Terrapins in their search for their first win over NU since 2022.

Ms. Underrated: Syracuse

An anticlimactic end to the Orange’s run in the ACC Tournament seemed to rub the committee the wrong way, as they’ve selected to relegate them to first round play.

However, this was the team that held NU to its lowest scoring output of the season. ACC Goalkeeper of the Year Daniella Guyette put a lid on the cage with eight saves in that contest, while her defense caused a Northwestern season-worst 21 turnovers as Molly Guzik lifted ‘Cuse with a career-best six goals.

Guyette is the puzzle NU couldn’t figure out, and if Syracuse comes out of College Park with a Final Four berth, she’ll be the biggest threat to the ‘Cats in a potential national championship showdown. She finished the regular season with a .509 save percentage against ranked opponents and a 7.81 goals against average, a marginal second in the conference.

The committee chose not to seed Syracuse, but that doesn’t take away from its strength as a program. Orange in the Final Four would be a scary sight.

A Final Word: Cardiac ‘Cats May Magic

19 days from now will mark two years to the day of Northwestern’s remarkable comeback over Boston College in the Final Four. The most improbable and unbelievable of comebacks restored a magic that hadn’t seemed to be with the program since it climbed to the mountaintop in 2023.

After its 2024 national championship loss and a deflating regular season defeat to the Eagles, it seemed as though BC had NU’s number. After the 15th of February, all heads turned to Gillette Stadium, where everyone was sure that the two teams would square off again.

Those folks were right, and those folks would see a performance that reflected those put on by the all-time great teams in NU history. Not just the Izzy Scane era, but the Kristen Kjellman and Hannah Nielsen eras as well.

Annabel Child’s game winner to win the Big Ten Tournament title was another reflection of that same historic pedigree and should be taken as a signal that this NU team is primed and ready to carry on the legacy of previous years.