Cornell Wins 2025 NCAA Lacrosse Championship Bracket by Beating Maryland

For the first time since 1977, Cornell lacrosse has won the NCAA Tournament championship.

The No. 1 Big Red, who have lost in three championship game appearances since their last title, defeated No. 2 Maryland 13-10 on Monday to once again establish itself as the best team in college lacrosse.

The last time Cornell reached the title game was in 2022 when it lost to the Terrapins. Things went differently this time around.

Cornell got on the board early as Ryan Waldman found the net in the first quarter, but Maryland answered quickly when Bryce Ford scored moments later.

The two early goals set the tone for what ended up being a back-and-forth first half. Cornell had a two-point lead heading into the final moments of the first half thanks to a goal from CJ Kirst, but Maryland responded to make it 6-5 heading into halftime.

The Big Red started to create some distance in the third quarter, scoring two unanswered goals to start the half to make 8-5. The Terrapins finally responded before things got too out of hand.

But just when Maryland found itself with a bit of momentum, Kirst scored his fourth goal of the game to make it 9-6 late in the third quarter.

The Terrapins scored late in the third to make it just a two-goal deficit, but Cornell once again answered early in the fourth to make it 10-7.

Maryland managed to rally and cut the lead to just one goal, but Cornell didn't let up. The Big Red scored back-to-back unanswered goals to make it a 12-9 game heading into the final minutes of the game.

Maryland found the net heading into the final minute, but another goal from Cornell gave the Big Red a three-goal lead, enough to hang on for its fourth NCAA tournament championship in school history.