Lacrosse is different. If you’ve ever stood on the sidelines during a Memorial Day final, you know it's not just about the plastic and mesh. It’s about the noise. The 2025 season just wrapped up, and honestly, the ncaa lacrosse championship scores tell a story that the bracket geeks are going to be dissecting for a decade. We saw a legendary drought end in the men’s game and a perfect season solidified in the women’s.
Gillette Stadium was loud. Really loud.
The Big Red Return: Men’s Final Score Breakdown
Let’s get straight to the point: Cornell is back. After 48 years of "almost" and "not quite," the Big Red finally climbed the mountain. They took down Maryland 13-10 in a game that felt much closer than a three-goal margin.
CJ Kirst. Remember the name. He didn't just play; he took over. Kirst put up six goals in the final, tying the all-time single-season NCAA scoring record. It was clinical. Maryland kept trying to crawl back, cutting a three-goal lead down to 10-9 early in the fourth quarter. You could feel the Maryland faithful starting to believe. But then, Kirst and Ryan Goldstein (who had four goals himself) just slammed the door.
2025 Men’s Championship: Cornell 13, Maryland 10
The game didn't have those massive 5-0 runs we usually see from Cornell. Instead, it was a slow grind. Maryland actually won the faceoff battle 15-12, but they turned the ball over 12 times. You can't do that against a team like Cornell. Six of those turnovers happened in the fourth quarter. Brutal.
- First Quarter: Cornell 2, Maryland 1
- Second Quarter: Cornell 4, Maryland 4
- Third Quarter: Cornell 3, Maryland 2
- Fourth Quarter: Cornell 4, Maryland 3
For the Terps, Eric Spanos did what he could with two goals and two assists, but it wasn't enough to stop the Big Red's destiny. Cornell’s goalie, Wyatt Knust, came up huge with 12 saves. It was their first title since 1977. Think about that. Jimmy Carter was in the White House the last time Cornell lifted this trophy.
Perfection in Chapel Hill: The Women’s Title
On the women's side, the 2025 ncaa lacrosse championship scores reflect total dominance. North Carolina finished an undefeated 22-0 season by beating Northwestern 12-8.
The Humphrey sisters are basically a cheat code at this point. Chloe Humphrey, just a redshirt freshman, was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after a four-goal performance in the final. Her sister, Ashley, set a new NCAA single-season record with 90 assists. Ninety. That is absurd.
2025 Women’s Championship: North Carolina 12, Northwestern 8
What’s crazy is that Northwestern’s Madison Taylor, who led the nation with 109 goals, didn't score a single goal in the final. Not one. Sam Forrest and the UNC defense played her like a shadow.
Northwestern actually scored first, but then Carolina went on a 5-0 tear. They held the Wildcats scoreless for nearly 17 minutes. When you hold a team that explosive to zero goals for a full quarter, you're going to win most of those games.
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The crowd was a record-setter, too. 14,423 fans showed up in Foxborough. That's the largest crowd to ever watch an NCAA women's lacrosse championship game.
Looking Back: The 2024 Scores We Can't Forget
You can't talk about current scores without looking at how we got here. 2024 was the year of the "Irish Repeat." Notre Dame absolutely dismantled Maryland in the men's final with a 15-5 blowout. It was the largest margin of victory in a title game in years. Chris Kavanagh was a monster, scoring five goals. Maryland was held to just one goal in the entire second half.
The women's 2024 final was way more of a heart-stopper. Boston College took down Northwestern 14-13. Northwestern actually jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first quarter. Everyone thought it was over. But BC chipped away, outscoring the Wildcats 6-2 in the second. The hero? Shea Dolce. She made a kick save with 28 seconds left on the clock to preserve the one-goal lead.
Recent Championship Score History
- 2025 Men: Cornell 13, Maryland 10
- 2025 Women: North Carolina 12, Northwestern 8
- 2024 Men: Notre Dame 15, Maryland 5
- 2024 Women: Boston College 14, Northwestern 13
- 2023 Men: Notre Dame 13, Duke 9
- 2023 Women: Northwestern 18, Boston College 6
Why These Scores Matter for 2026
Lacrosse is shifting. We're seeing more parity, but the "blue bloods" are still finding ways to stay on top. Maryland has made 17 appearances in the NCAA final, which is second all-time, but they've struggled to finish the job lately.
If you're looking at these ncaa lacrosse championship scores to try and predict next year, keep an eye on the transfer portal. Northwestern just picked up four major transfers for the 2026 season. They are clearly not happy about losing back-to-back titles.
Also, watch the "shot clock" era impact. Scores are generally trending higher because teams can't sit on the ball anymore. The 13-10 Cornell win is a perfect example of a modern, fast-paced game where every possession is a coin flip.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Bettors
If you’re following these trends, here is what you need to do to stay ahead of the curve for the 2026 season.
Track the Draw Control: In the 2025 women’s final, UNC won 17 of 24 draws. In women's lacrosse, if you win the draw, you win the game. It’s that simple. Follow the midfields who dominate the circle.
Watch the "Goalie Warm-up": Goalies like Wyatt Knust and Betty Nelson weren't just "good" in the finals; they had high save percentages throughout the tournament. Don't just look at goals scored—look at save percentages above .550.
Analyze the Fourth Quarter Turnovers: As we saw with Maryland’s men's team, the game is won or lost in the final 15 minutes. Teams that clear the ball effectively (meaning they get it from their defensive end to the offensive end without losing it) are the ones that cover the spread. Maryland's four failed clears in 2025 were their undoing.
Stay tuned to the mid-week rankings starting in February. The early season non-conference games usually dictate the seeding that leads to these championship matchups. Keep an eye on the ACC-Big Ten challenge games; that’s where the real power dynamic is settled every year.