The Big Ten is hard to judge on a national scale this year with no nonconference games on the schedule, but one thing is not hard to judge — Northwestern is scary good.

The No. 3 Wildcats more than doubled up No. 8 Maryland in a 25-12 win between the Big Ten’s top two teams. Northwestern improved to 8-0, topping 20 goals for the fifth time this season. The 25 goals was a season high for Northwestern and the most Maryland has ever allowed in a single game.

Izzy Scane continued her torrid scoring pace with nine goals and three assists, giving her 51 goals in just eight games. Lauren Gilbert, not far behind with 41 goals for the season, added six goals on Saturday.

Maryland (5-2) trailed just 7-5 midway through the first half, but the Wildcats scored six of the last eight goals to take a 13-7 halftime lead. Any hopes for a second half comeback for the Terrapins were dismissed with Northwestern winning 14 of 17 draws after intermission. Northwestern won 24 of 38 in the game with Jill Girardi (10) and Gilbert (7) leading the way.

Catie May and Hannah Warther each had hat tricks for Maryland. The two teams will meet again on Monday afternoon in a game televised nationally on the Big Ten Network.

Navy Rallies to Deny Army Upset Bid

No. 19 Navy, playing for the first time since Feb, 27, scored the final three goals of the game to stave off an upset bid from Army. Nicole Victory’s goal with 3:46 left gave the win to the Mids, who have never lost to Army in the series’ brief six-game history.

VICTORY VICTORY

Nicole Victory scores the eventual game-winner to give @NavyWLax the 13-12 win over @ArmyWP_WLax in West Point. pic.twitter.com/Gf5Ci40ngb

— US Lacrosse Magazine (@USLacrosseMag) March 27, 2021

Victory’s goal with five seconds left in the first half gave Navy an 8-7 halftime lead, but Army didn’t let the momentum last, scoring the first two goals of the second half to take the lead and stretched its lead to 12-10 on a Caroline Raymond tally with 16:28 remaining.

That was the last goal Jo Torres would allow. Torres played the second half, making 10 saves while allowing just five goals to earn the victory for Navy.

Ellie Lecker led Navy’s offense with four goals and an assist and Victory had three goals and two assists. Raymond had four goals and an assist for Army and Jackie Brattan had a hat trick.
 

No. 2 Syracuse Storms Past Virginia Tech

Syracuse scored the first seven goals of the second half to break a 7-7 halftime tie and downed Virginia Tech 17-10. The win improves to Orange to 6-0 overall and 4-0 in the ACC and sets up a 1-2 showdown at top-ranked North Carolina next Saturday featuring two undefeated teams.

Virginia Tech gave Syracuse all it could handle for 30 minutes as Emma Crooks scored four times, the last coming with 3:35 to play to give the Hokies a 7-5 lead.

Meaghan Tyrrell and Megan Carney then scored late in the half to tie it and Syracuse ended up going on a nine-goal scoring run to put the game away.

Carney finished with a game-high six goals and Tyrrell had four goals and two assists for the Orange.

CARNEY TIME

Meg Carney drops goals to fuel a big second half en route to a 17-10 @CuseWLAX win. pic.twitter.com/MwosaXoKw1

— US Lacrosse Magazine (@USLacrosseMag) March 27, 2021

Notable

Jamie Ortega scored five first-half goals as No. 1 North Carolina improved to 10-0 with an 18-3 victory over Mercer. The Tar Heels shot 62.1 percent for the game and 11 players scored goals.

Jen Barry set a Boston University single-game record with 18 draw controls in Boston University’s 17-12 win over Holy Cross. She added six points (3g, 3a) in the victory.

Jen Barry makes history

Barry wins draw controls and tallies six points, setting a @TerrierLacrosse single-game record for DC. pic.twitter.com/O2NhPZmh8A

— US Lacrosse Magazine (@USLacrosseMag) March 27, 2021

Ashlyn Grogan’s overtime goal gave Radford its first victory of the season, an 11-10 triumph over William & Mary in a weather-delayed game. Freshman Ava Goeller had three goals for the Highlanders.

Nike/US Lacrosse Top 20 Scoreboard

No. 1 North Carolina 18, Mercer 3
No. 2 Syracuse 17, Virginia Tech 10
No. 3 Northwestern 25, No. 8 Maryland 12
No. 19 Navy 13, Army 12

No. 20 Towson at Delaware, PPD

Other Scores

Albany 20, Vermont 5
Boston University 17, Holy Cross 12
Coastal Carolina 18, San Diego State 14
Colgate 22, Lafayette 9
Fairfield 12, Canisius 9
Furman 15, Campbell 14
Iona 16, Niagara 13
Lehigh 20, Bucknell 7
LIU 13, Central Connecticut 7
Mount St. Mary’s 21, Bryant 11
Radford 11, William & Mary 10 (OT)
Robert Morris 12, Central Michigan 7
St. Francis 21, Merrimack 9
UMass-Lowell 16, New Hampshire 14
UMBC 16, Binghamton 10
Wagner 18, Sacred Heart 12

Niagara at Manhattan, PPD
Detroit Mercy at Akron, PPD