Northwestern beats – Northwestern scored four goals each from Madison Taylor and Maddie Epke to defeat Johns Hopkins 16-11 in the NCAA national semifinals on Friday in Evanston. The Wildcats return to the championship game Sunday at Martin Stadium against North Carolina, which bea
Friday night in Evanston started like a question—Northwestern trailing 1-0 to start the game against Johns Hopkins—but it ended with the Wildcats answering it the way championship teams do.
Northwestern’s women’s lacrosse team beat the Blue Jays 16-11 in the national semifinals Friday, returning to the NCAA championship game. The Wildcats will face North Carolina, which defeated Maryland 16-6 in the first semifinal, at 11 a.m. Sunday at Martin Stadium.
For Northwestern, the night carried extra weight. The Wildcats (17-3) lost to the Tar Heels in last year’s national final, 12-8. This time, they’re pushing for their first national title since 2023 and their ninth overall under coach Kelly Amonte Hiller. Northwestern also holds a standout distinction: it was the first school to host the women’s lacrosse championship outside the Eastern Time Zone.
Madison Taylor and Maddie Epke each scored four goals, lifting the Wildcats when the momentum shifted. Aditi Foster added three, while Taylor Lapointe and Kate Ratanaproeksa each had two. Northwestern fired 40 shots compared to Johns Hopkins’ 22.
Johns Hopkins (17-4) had key scoring moments, but couldn’t sustain pressure. Ava Angello led the Blue Jays with three goals.
The turning point didn’t come after a long grind—it came quickly. Northwestern fell behind 1-0, tied the score almost two minutes later, and then didn’t trail again. By halftime, the Wildcats led 10-3. Late in the third quarter. Johns Hopkins narrowed the gap to three. but it never felt like a full swing back in the Blue Jays’ direction.
After Epke and Lapointe scored about a minute apart, Johns Hopkins couldn’t get closer than within four for the rest of the game.
There was one more reminder that Northwestern’s offense wasn’t just finding the net—it was controlling the flow. The Wildcats didn’t merely hold a lead; they extended it. built separation at the exact moments the Blue Jays tried to close. and kept the game from ever turning into a late comeback scramble.
Sunday’s opponent brings history and a familiar test. North Carolina enters after beating Maryland 16-6, and Northwestern will have a chance to turn last year’s final loss into something different—starting at 11 a.m. at Martin Stadium.
Northwestern women's lacrosse Johns Hopkins Evanston NCAA semifinals Martin Stadium North Carolina vs Northwestern Madison Taylor Maddie Epke Kelly Amonte Hiller