COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Despite a team-high four goals from sophomore Maggie McCormick (Eldersburg, Md.), the No. 7/9 Penn State women's lacrosse team dropped a 20-10 decision to the top-ranked Maryland Terrapins. The Nittany Lions are now 4-2, while Maryland raises its record to 7-0.
No. 1/1 Maryland started the game by scoring five uncontested goals before senior Molly Fernandez (Baltimore, Md.) got Penn State on the board with 9:33 remaining in the first half to shrink the Terrapins' advantage to 5-1. UM added one more before Missy Doherty made a change in goal with redshirt-senior Ayla Halus (Hershey, Pa.) replacing freshman Emi Smith (Denver, Colo.) for the Nittany Lions. The Terrapins scored twice more to take the 8-1 lead before PSU struck again.
Nearly 16 minutes into the first half, McCormick netted her first of four goals on the day to make the game an 8-2 Maryland advantage. Fernandez was credited with the assist on McCormick's goal. The Terrapins countered, but Penn State's offense wasn't done and the Nittany Lions got on the scoreboard twice more in the first half including another goal from McCormick, this time unassisted. A goal from Haley Ford (White Hall, Md.) less than a minute later brought PSU within five tallies again, 9-4.
The top-ranked Terrapins continued to attack, however, adding three more goals before half time. Penn State trailed the Terps 12-4 at the break.
In the second half, Maryland struck first before Penn State ripped off four straight tallies. Freshman Jenna Mosketti (Fallston, Md.) began the Nittany Lions' offensive onslaught less than two minutes into the half. Next, McCormick scored her third of the day off an assist from junior Mackenzie Cyr (Westminster, Md.). Fernandez converted with an assist from sophomore Kelly Lechner (Silver Spring, Md.) and McCormick scored again to close out the run off another assist from Lechner.
With 23:21 left to play, Maryland finally stopped Penn State's red-hot stretch and scored seven more goals before sophomore Tatum Coffey (Toms River, N.J.) broke the PSU drought with 3:55 left to play on a free-position shot to make the score a 20-9 Maryland advantage.
The Cyr sisters connected with 53 seconds to play with Madison finding Mackenzie for the final tally of the game, leaving the Nittany Lions on the wrong end of the 20-10 decision.
Penn State's next action is at Cornell on Wednesday, March 13, at 4 p.m.