Colorado shocks No. 2 Northwestern in dramatic season opener

Colorado's women's lacrosse celebrates together after knocking off No. 2 Northwestern on the road. (Photo by CU Women's LAX/X)

Bright lights? No problem for Colorado women’s lacrosse (1-0) as they shocked No. 2-ranked Northwestern (1-1) and last year’s national runner-ups 10-9.

Despite committing more fouls, having fewer saves, having no control over the faceoff circle, and never having won in Evanston, IL, Colorado scraped together the highest-ranked win in program history. 

Senior attacker Maddie Shoup scored five goals for the Buffs, including the game-winner.

"I feel like I played off of the rest of the team's energy, and it really helped me," Shoup said. "I think we all push each other, and I don't know, we just came up with the win."

Head coach Ann Elliot Whidden echoed the team's mindset.

"I think we've always believed in ourselves, but it's hard when for five weeks, the only people you play are yourself to know where you're really at," Elliott Whidden said. “To come out here, focus on ourselves, and get this win, it's huge.”

Junior attacker Teagan Ryan got the season’s inaugural goal on a sequence that saw four consecutive shots from the Buffs before Ryan broke the goal-scoring open, 1-0.

After a Northwestern green card, Colorado got to work a man-up. Redshirt junior attacker Rachel Kennedy found the back of the net to put them up 2-0.

The Buffs never let off the gas, forcing a turnover before Shoup added to the Colorado lead, 3-0 with 5:15 left in the first quarter.

Northwestern had similar luck, forcing a turnover before sophomore attacker Aditi Foster got a quick response for the Wildcats, heading into the second frame down 3-1.

A yellow card on Northwestern at the end of the second quarter put Colorado a man-up again, where they went to Kennedy for her second goal of the evening and pushed the lead back up to three, 4-1.

Northwestern controlled the ensuing draw as sophomore midfielder Hannah Rudolph got a quick response just a minute later a man-down.

Junior attacker Jaimey Hill would respond on a free position shot after a Northwestern foul, pushing the Buffs’ lead to 5-2.

Action settled down as both teams couldn’t get into their sets and sophomore goalkeeper Elena Oh and the Buffs’ defense did enough to hold off the Wildcats. 

The dam would break in the final minute as Northwestern as graduate attacker Olivia Adamson and senior attacker Madison Taylor cut the lead down to just one, 5-4, heading into the second half.

Northwestern only put six shots on goal during the first half, scoring on four of them, while Colorado tested graduate goalkeeper Jenika Cuocco with 14 total shots, nine of which were on frame.

The Wildcats came out of the locker room with renewed energy and organization, as Taylor immediately scored twice within the first four minutes of the third quarter, going ahead 6-5.

After a foul on Northwestern, Shoup knotted the game back up at six on a free position shot.

Taylor went back to dominating the offense, scoring two more times in the third quarter, accounting for all four of Northwestern’s third-quarter goals as Colorado went into the final frame down 8-6.

Shoup took over the offense for the Buffs, scoring twice in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter, pulling Colorado back to tie, 8-8.

Taylor’s lethal shot found the back of the net to put the Wildcats back up, 9-8, going into the final ten minutes.

Senior midfielder Lily Assini found the equalizer with 6:08 left before Shoup carved up the defense, finding nylon for the go-ahead goal with 4:25 left, lifting Colorado to a 10-9 lead.

The Buffs stayed on the gas, looking for insurance, but the defense stole the show in pivotal moments down the stretch. Northwestern beat Oh plenty, scoring on nine of its 17 shots, but Oh stood tall when it mattered.

Three of Oh’s eight saves came in the final three minutes, including a clutch, game-sealing save in close-quarters with just ten seconds left on one of the nation’s best offenses.

“This is a great opportunity for us to come here and, obviously, a great result for us,” Whidden said. “We know this is a long season, too, and we'll enjoy it now, but then we'll refocus.”

Colorado’s next game will be on Kittridge Field against the Cornell Bears (0-0) on Sunday, Feb. 15, at noon.