No. 13 Northwestern Lacrosse Suffers Upset Loss to Unranked Ohio State

Wildcats' home winning streak at Ryan Fieldhouse ends with 16-15 defeat

Mar. 16, 2026 at 5:10pm

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The No. 13 ranked Northwestern Lacrosse team suffered a surprising 16-15 loss to unranked Ohio State on Sunday, extending the Wildcats' losing streak to two games. Northwestern, which had lost just two games at home over the past five seasons, was unable to overcome a strong performance by the Buckeyes, who outshot the Wildcats 22-35 and got 12 saves from goalkeeper Jocelyn Torres.

Why it matters

This loss is a concerning development for a Northwestern program that has been a dominant force in recent years, raising questions about whether the Wildcats can maintain their high level of play. The defeat at home to an unranked opponent could be an early warning sign for the team as it faces a challenging upcoming schedule against top opponents.

The details

Ohio State jumped out to an early 4-1 lead in the first quarter, but Northwestern responded with a 5-goal run to take a 6-5 advantage. The teams traded goals throughout the game, with Ohio State tying it at 12-12 in the third quarter. The Buckeyes then scored three straight goals in the fourth to take a 15-14 lead, which they held onto for the 16-15 victory despite a late goal by Northwestern's Taylor Lapointe.

  • The game was played on Sunday, March 16, 2026.
  • Ohio State scored the game-winning goal with under 2 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

The players

Jocelyn Torres

The Ohio State goalkeeper who made 12 saves in the game.

Kate Tyack

The Ohio State player who scored 6 goals in the game.

Madison Taylor

The Northwestern player who scored 7 goals in the game.

Taylor Lapointe

The Northwestern player who scored the late goal to make it 16-15.

Kampbell Stone

The Ohio State player who won the game-winning draw control in the final minutes.

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What they’re saying

“We must find a way to get back on track. This is a tough loss, but we'll learn from it and be ready for our next challenge.”

— Kelly Amonte Hiller, Head Coach, Northwestern Lacrosse

What’s next

Northwestern will look to rebound when they travel to Oregon on Saturday, March 21 to take on the Ducks.

The takeaway

This upset loss at home raises concerns about Northwestern's ability to maintain its dominance, especially with a difficult schedule ahead. The Wildcats will need to quickly regroup and rediscover the form that made them one of the top programs in the country in recent years.