Bohlig, Foster Step Up, Northwestern Wins Chaotic B1G Title Game

It wasn’t pretty, according to Kelly Amonte Hiller. But it was one of the most thrilling finishes of the 2025 Division I women’s lacrosse season to date.

Willed by a masterful performance by JJ Suriano in the cage, Maryland had top-seeded Northwestern on the ropes in Sunday’s Big Ten championship game in College Park. But Northwestern steadied to find its offensive footing in the fourth quarter, coming back from an early four-goal deficit to beat the Terps 8-7.

Aditi Foster’s goal, assisted by Emerson Bohlig, with 15 seconds left represented the winner.

“I’m just really proud of how they stuck together and just found a way,” Amonte Hiller said in a postgame interview on Big Ten Network.

Maryland, which failed to earn the Big Ten’s automatic qualifier but will still earn a place in the NCAA tournament during next Sunday evening’s Selection Show, got out to a 4-1 lead on Kori Edmondson’s goal with 10:12 left in the second quarter.

Maryland’s strategy was simple: Play methodical offense and fundamental, calculated defense. What the Terps couldn’t necessarily bank on was the performance of Suriano, who played the best game of her young career with 18 saves. The redshirt-freshman’s performance tied Penn State’s Taylor Suplee (2019) for the most saves in a Big Ten tournament game. Suriano had 11 stops in the first half alone.

After Edmondson put Maryland ahead 6-2 midway through the third, the Wildcats began to chip away. Aditi Foster, Niki Miles, Noel Cumberland and Bohlig all scored to equalize at 6, then Madison Taylor posted a high left-handed rocket for a 7-6 lead just 16 seconds after Bohlig tied it.

Taylor nearly scored again for an 8-6 lead, but the goal was waved off for a dangerous shot – putting Taylor on the bench for the final minutes of the game.

Edmondson didn’t let Maryland go quietly. She score with 1:04 left bring it back to a tie ballgame once again.

Searching for an offensive answer without Taylor on the field, the Wildcats turned to an unlucky hero. Foster, who entered with just six goals on the year, found space in front of the crease and locked eyes with Bohlig atop the eight-meter arc. The result was a crisp pass and sharp finish for an 8-7 lead.

It wasn’t over. After being awarded the ensuing draw, Edmondson picked the ball off the turf and sprinted up the field with a full head of steam. A green card put Edmondson on the eight-meter arc for a free position with two seconds left, but her attempt went high above the cage.

With the victory, Amonte Hiller passed Maryland head coach Cathy Reese for the most Big Ten titles (five) in the conference’s history.