Pitch Perfect, Week 9: The final stretch

In the final stretch of the conference season, Northwestern faced a tough loss to Maryland, conceding a goal in just 31 seconds and ultimately losing 2-1. The Terps' victory marked their first win since September 6 and their first three points in the Big Ten, giving them a second-to-last position in the conference standings, just above the winless USC Trojans.

Northwestern's dominance in the first half of Thursday's matchup was evident, falling victim to Maryland's offensive and playmaking abilities. With only four matchups left to finish out the conference season, Northwestern needs to secure two additional points to qualify for the Big Ten Tournament, currently tied with Wisconsin at 10 points.

The Cats must focus on organization, as their initial sloppy play led to Maryland's early goal. They also need to innovate, building on their set pieces and capitalizing on their goalkeeper's strengths. Camryn Freeman and Gwen Zimmerman were standout performers in the Maryland game, with Freeman netting her third goal of the season and Zimmerman recording her first collegiate goal.

The final step for Northwestern is to control the controllable and utilize their home field advantage in the remaining games. With Senior Day on the horizon, the team has a lighter game against USC on Saturday, providing an opportunity to bounce back and prove they can still contend for a Big Ten Tournament spot.