Colorado Stuns No. 2 Northwestern in Historic Lacrosse Upset to Open Season
EVANSTON, Ill. - Talk about making a statement. On a cold Monday night in Evanston, Colorado lacrosse didn’t just open their season - they rewrote a chapter of their program’s history.
The Buffaloes pulled off the biggest upset of the young 2026 campaign, knocking off No. 2 Northwestern on their home turf in a gritty 10-9 win.
It’s the highest-ranked opponent Colorado has ever beaten, and their first road win over Northwestern in program history. For a team that’s spent the past five weeks battling only themselves in practice, this was more than just a win - it was a breakthrough.
“We’ve always believed in ourselves,” head coach Ann Elliott Whidden said postgame. “But when you’ve only played against your own team for weeks, it’s hard to know exactly where you stand.
Coming here, especially after what happened last year, we knew it was going to be a big test. But we stayed focused on ourselves - and when we do that, great things can happen.”
Great things, indeed.
Shoup Shines, Oh Closes the Door
Senior attacker Maddie Shoup was nothing short of electric, scoring five goals on six shots - a performance that not only paced the Buffs but also kept them alive when the game teetered in the balance. Her final goal, the game-winner with 4:25 remaining, was the exclamation point on a night where Colorado refused to be intimidated by the reigning national champs.
But as much as Shoup lit up the scoreboard, it was sophomore goalie Elena Oh who slammed the door shut. She came up with eight saves, including three clutch stops in the final three minutes, as Northwestern threw everything they had at her. Oh’s poise under pressure was a game-changer - and a confidence booster for the defense in front of her.
“It comes down to trust,” Shoup said. “We trust Elena, and we trust our defense.
We know they’re going to make the big plays when we need them. Elena had three massive saves, Jess Peluso had knockdowns, we had some checks - we just leaned on our defense, and they delivered.”
A Fast Start, a Fierce Finish
From the opening draw, Colorado came out swinging. They controlled possession early, peppered the cage with shots, and jumped out to a 3-0 lead behind goals from Teagan Ryan, Rachel Kennedy, and Shoup. Kennedy, making her return to the lineup after not playing since 2024, looked sharp, finishing with two goals and an assist.
That early momentum was critical, especially against a powerhouse like Northwestern.
“When you’re playing a team as talented as Northwestern, getting some early momentum is huge,” Whidden said. “We had a tough time at the draw, so for our offense to find some rhythm early really helped build confidence.”
Colorado’s defense was equally locked in during the first quarter, forcing seven turnovers and holding Northwestern without a shot on goal until the final five minutes of the frame. Aditi Foster finally broke through for the Wildcats, but a disallowed goal and a penalty to Madison Taylor helped the Buffs carry a 3-1 lead into the second.
Kennedy struck again early in the second, capitalizing on a man-up opportunity to make it 4-1. But Northwestern, as expected, didn’t stay quiet for long. Hannah Rudolph sparked the Wildcats’ offense, and despite a free-position goal from Jaimey Hill, Northwestern closed the half with a flurry - two goals in the final minute cut CU’s lead to 5-4 at the break.
Madison Taylor Takes Over - But Colorado Responds
Northwestern’s Madison Taylor - the NCAA’s active leader in points - came out firing in the third quarter. She scored four times in the frame, including the game-tying goal in the opening minute and the go-ahead tally that gave the Wildcats an 8-6 lead heading into the fourth.
But Colorado didn’t blink.
Shoup led the charge once again, scoring twice in a span of five minutes to tie the game at 8-8 with just over 10 minutes to play. Her ability to find space and finish under pressure was a masterclass in senior leadership.
“I fed off the team’s energy,” Shoup said. “Everyone had a role in this win - whether they were on the field or not. We just kept pushing each other.”
Taylor gave Northwestern one last lead with her sixth goal of the night, making it 9-8 with 9:17 remaining. But Colorado had one more rally in them.
Senior Lily Assini tied it up with a man-up goal at the 6:08 mark, and after Oh denied Taylor again, the Buffs seized the moment. Shoup took a run down the left side of the arc and slipped the ball through Jenika Cuocco’s legs to give Colorado the 10-9 lead.
The final four minutes were all about defense - and Oh. Northwestern fired four shots in the closing stretch, but Oh turned away three of them, including a game-saving stop on Gabriella McCollester with 10 seconds left.
A Win That Resonates
This wasn’t just a win. It was a message.
Colorado, now 2-4 all-time in season openers against ranked opponents, proved they’re more than just a tough out - they’re a team that can go toe-to-toe with the best in the country. Monday’s win topped their previous high-water mark - a win over No. 6 Penn State back in 2017 - and it snapped a long-standing road drought against Northwestern, improving their all-time record against the Wildcats to 2-5.
The Buffs were dominated in the draw circle, losing 17-4, but they made up for it in other areas - winning the ground ball battle 20-12 and making the most of their possessions. Freshman Rowan Edson made her first career start, and Molly Reed stepped up with a career-high five ground balls.
“This is huge for us,” Whidden said. “We’ve had some great seasons, been in big games, and had tough moments.
But to come out here, stay focused, and get this win - it means a lot. Rankings aside, we have so much respect for Northwestern.
They’ve been to more Final Fours than most programs. So for us to come here and get this result, it’s a great moment.
But it’s a long season - we’ll enjoy this, then get back to work.”
If Monday night is any indication, Colorado just might be ready to make some serious noise this season.