Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
1-1
Colorado
1-0
’Cats Suffer 10-9 Setback to Colorado in Home Opener
2/9/2026 9:48:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
EVANSTON, Ill. — No. 2 Northwestern suffered a 10-9 setback to Colorado on Monday night in Ryan Fieldhouse.
"The biggest thing is you need to have a level of humility because if you don't, you're going to get humbled quickly," Combe Family Lacrosse Coach Kelly Amonte Hiller said. "We did not come out strong, and we fought back. But Colorado is a great team, very well-coached. They're tough and they were able to capitalize on the opportunities."
The Wildcats (1-1, 0-0 Big Ten) scored four consecutive goals to erase a 5-2 second-quarter deficit, but the Buffaloes (1-0, 0-0 Big 12) converted four tallies in the fourth quarter to secure the upset.
Senior attacker Madison Taylor led all scorers with eight points (six goals, two assists). She added two caused turnovers and five draw controls in a commanding individual performance. Taylor has amassed an NCAA-high 17 points in two games this season.
After she scored a hat trick in the season opener, sophomore attacker Taylor Lapointe thrived as a facilitator, dishing out a game-high four assists.
Sophomore attacker Aditi Foster, graduate student attacker Olivia Adamson and sophomore midfielder Hannah Rudolph each chipped in a goal.
Graduate student goalkeeper Jenika Cuocco backstopped the defense with 11 saves on an .524 save percentage.
Colorado opened the game on a 3-0 run before Foster fired home Northwestern's lone goal of the first quarter with just under five minutes remaining in the frame. The Wildcats established an early advantage on the draw, corralling four of the quarter's five draw controls.
While the Buffaloes regained a three-goal advantage in the second quarter, Taylor and Adamson buried a pair of tallies in the half's final minute to cut the deficit to 5-4.
Taylor converted a transition goal, her third of the evening, to give Northwestern its first lead of the evening with 11:13 remaining in the third quarter. The senior scored each of the hosts' goals in the quarter to help the 'Cats build an 8-6 lead entering the final 15 minutes of action.
After Colorado leveled the score with two goals in the fourth quarter's first five minutes, Taylor capitalized on a Lapointe feed to take a 9-8 lead with less than 10 minutes remaining. The Buffaloes responded with back-to-back goals to capture a 10-9 advantage with 4:25 to play and held on for the result.
"If you want to be a good team, you have to be consistent, and you have to bring that same energy each time out," Amonte Hiller said. "I'm disappointed in that, but sometimes you have to learn through your experiences. Unfortunately, today we had to because Colorado played an excellent game and were ready to step up at every turn."
The Wildcats will return to action at home on Saturday, Feb. 14 against Army West Point inside Ryan Fieldhouse. The game is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT on B1G+.
