No. 12 Penn women’s lacrosse falls to No. 3 Northwestern in quarterfinals

In a repeat of last year’s NCAA Division I women’s lacrosse tournament quarterfinal matchup, it was again the “Lake Show” versus the “Quake Show.” 

This time around, it certainly wasn’t a blowout. Still, No. 12 Penn women’s lacrosse was ultimately unable to stop the 2025 Tewaaraton Award finalist attacker Madison Taylor and No. 3 Northwestern, as the Quakers fell 17-12. 

It was a day of record-breaking performances for both teams. For Northwestern (18-2, 8-0 Big 10), Taylor finished the day with nine points on six goals and four assists. Those points came despite being double-teamed consistently. At one point, Taylor fought through a quadruple-team to assist attacker Abby LoCascio on the score. Taylor’s 145 points broke the program’s single-season record, passing former Northwestern attacker Izzy Scane, who scored four goals on Penn (12-7, 5-2 Ivy) in last season’s matchup. Taylor’s first goal of the second half — a free-position shot from the center hash — marked her 104th goal of the season. Taylor now sits alone at the top of the record books for the NCAA single-season goal record. 

For the Red and Blue, senior Ivy League Midfielder of the Year Anna Brandt entered the game with 63 goals on the season, tied for first for the program’s single-season record with former attacker and former Ivy League Attacker of the Year Niki Miles. Following two back-to-back saves from Ivy League Goalkeeper of the Year and Ivy League Rookie of the Year Orly Sedransk, Brandt drew a shooting space call. On the free position opportunity, Brandt found the back of the net for her 64th goal of the season, passing Miles for the record. 

Despite graduating last year, Miles was on the field again this year for the game between the two sides. However, this time, Miles represented the Purple and White instead of the Red and Blue. Joining Miles was another familiar face: three-season starter defender Grace Fujinaga, another graduate transfer that the Wildcats added to their roster. As the second-leading goal scorer for the Wildcats, Miles notched an assist early but was kept mostly quiet against her former teammates. Her first goal of the game did not come until late in the third quarter, but it was an important one to end a 3-0 Penn run that brought the Quakers within one of Northwestern. 

The first half belonged to the Wildcats, and the teams entered the halftime break with Northwestern leading 10-5. Coming out of the break, Penn was eager to get things going with Brandt scoring on the run from 10 meters out for her third of the day to round her 14th hat-trick of the season. After scoring the first two Penn goals of the game, senior attacker Keeley Block had limped off the field early in the second quarter and was carted off the field before the halftime break. In her return to the field in the third quarter, Block was able to put away her third goal of the game to bring Penn within one goal of Northwestern.

Down three heading into the last quarter of play, sophomore attacker Catherine Berkery briefly thought that she had her second goal of the game to give Penn some momentum. After an official review, though, the goal was stripped as Berkery was issued a yellow card for a dangerous follow-through. Attacker Riley Campbell was able to capitalize on the man-up opportunity, and another goal from Miles was able to extend Northwestern’s lead back to five goals. Brandt’s fourth and fifth goals came late in the game as Penn chased to equalize, but it was not enough.

This marks the second consecutive year that Penn will be bowing out of the NCAA tournament in the quarterfinals. In the loss, Penn largely struggled in getting possessions, losing on the draws 22-10, and being outshot 32-22. With the 2025 season now officially coming to an end, the team’s attention will turn to next year. Penn women’s lacrosse will have a full offseason to regroup and reload before it returns to competition.