It wasn’t easy but Maryland’s women’s lacrosse team finished their second season in the Big Ten as they finished their first – undefeated – as they came away with a 10-9 win over Penn State.

Thursday night in State College was literally and figuratively uncomfortable for the Terrapins. Weather caused the literal discomfort. The night was raw, rainy and blustery.

The Nittany Lions caused the figurative discomfort. Maryland twice led by three goals but were unable to open any real space and went to halftime clinging to a one goal lead at 6-5.

Maryland scored quickly just over a minute into the second half but from that point senior goalie Emi Smith locked in on Maryland’s shooters. She came up with seven of her ten saves  in the period and when Madison St. Cyr scored with 10:57 to play to put the home team ahead 8-7, the Terps trailed in the second half for only the third time this season.

Fortunately for Maryland fans, the Terps have Taylor Cummings. The senior midfielder and reigning two time Tewaaraton award winner would finish the night with two goals, an assist, four ground balls, two caused turnovers and nine draw controls. After St. Cyr scored, Cummings plucked the seventh of those nine out of the air on the ensuing draw and took the ball downfield heading straight to goal. The expected result didn’t come, however as Smith registered her 10th save of the night. Penn State had possession and a lead with about 10 minutes to play.

Fortunately for Maryland fans, the Terps’ freshman goalie, Megan Taylor, doesn’t shy away from a challenge and she stuffed a shot by Penn State’s Katie O’Donnell. A foolish play by Madison Carter gave the Terps a player advantage after Carter whacked Taylor on the helmet. The Terps used almost all of the two minutes before Cummings found Taylor Hensh flashing in front of the crease and the sophomore’s second goal of the night knotted the game with 6:45 to play.

Penn State won the draw but defender Nadine Hadnagy caused a turnover and Caroline Wannen, who had three shots hit the post earlier in the game, attacked from behind the goal and found the net to nudge Maryland back into the lead.

A minute later, after another Cummings draw control, freshman Jen Giles overcame her shooting woes finding the net to increase Maryland’s lead to 10-8 with three minutes to play. But the Nittany Lions weren’t done fighting. The won a 50-50 ball on the draw and became the first team since Syracuse in the fifth game of the season to score nine goals against Maryland.

Fortunately for Maryland fans, the Terps have Taylor Cummings and she saw to it that the following draw would not be a 50-50 ball snatching it out of the air allowing Maryland to run out the clock and escape with the 10-9 win.

The Terps head into next weekend’s B1G Tournament at Northwestern as the league’s outright champs and will claim the top seed. They will look to improve on their perfect 17-0 record and claim their first B1G Tournament title. But, as always, the big prize awaiting the winner of the season’s final game in Chester, PA on May 29th is their ultimate goal.