No. 9 Maryland women’s lacrosse hands No. 2 JMU first loss, 11-8

Maryland women’s lacrosse lost seven games last season — the most in a single year under legendary coach Cathy Reese. Two of those defeats came against upset-minded James Madison University, including in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

On Sunday, it was the Terps who scored the upset — and got revenge.

No. 9 Maryland went on an 8-1 run between the second and fourth quarters to turn a three-goal deficit into a comfortable lead on its way to an 11-8 victory over the second-ranked and high-powered Dukes in College Park.

The Terps, who lost their previous game at home to then-No. 16 Florida in overtime, improved to 6-1, secured their third top-10 win of the season and handed JMU, which entered the game averaging 18.8 goals per game, its first loss of the year. It’s Maryland’s first victory over a top-two team since beating Northwestern on April 23, 2022.

Goalkeeper Emily Sterling (John Carroll) finished with a season-high 14 saves, while Libby May (Hereford) paced the Terps with a season-high four goals on five shots. Eloise Clevenger (Marriotts Ridge) added two goals and two assists, Hannah Leubecker scored twice, and Chrissy Thomas had four assists for Maryland, which trailed 3-1 and 5-2 in the first half before scoring three straight goals to head into halftime tied at 5.

Hereford graduate Isabella Peterson, a Tewaaraton Award finalist last season and JMU’s all-time leader in goals and points, put the Dukes ahead with her second of four goals early in the second half, but the Terps clamped down and got the next five goals from five players in 5:49 between the third and fourth quarters to take a commanding 10-6 lead early in the final frame. The teams traded the final four goals.

Hailey Russo, Kori Edmondson (McDonogh) and Shaylan Ahearn (Glenelg Country) added goals for Maryland, which will travel to face Ohio State at 1 p.m. Saturday in Columbus.