Maryland’s moment
After a 42-year drought and recent nearmisses, the Terrapins win the NCAA men’s lacrosse title,
Playing in its fifth NCAA men’s lacrosse championship game in seven years, Maryland finally will be coming home with a trophy.
The Terrapins defeated thirdseeded Ohio State 9-6, ending decades of frustration for Maryland fans.
Tim Rotanz scored three goals for the Terrapins (16-3), including an empty-netter in the final minute to seal the program’s first championship since 1975. Senior defenseman Tim Muller was named the tournament’s most outstanding player, as he and his teammates on Maryland’s close defensive unit kept the Buckeyes attack in check.
Dylan Maltz notched two goals and an assist, and unheralded midfielder Adam DiMillo scored twice for Maryland. Tre Leclaire managed only a goal and an assist for Ohio State (16-5), and Buckeyes points leader Eric Fannell was kept off the scoreboard.
The Ohio State defense also was strong, as Tewaaraton Award finalist Matt Rambo of Maryland was held to a goal and an assist. Buckeyes goalie Tom Carey backed the unit with 13 saves.
But the Terrapins effectively took charge in the middle quarters, when they nearly doubled the Buckeyes in possession time and built a 6-3 lead. The margin grew to 8-3 early in the fourth on goals by Maltz and Rambo. A quick score by Ohio State faceoff specialist Jake Withers started a run that eventually pulled the Buckeyes within 8-6 with 2:25 remaining, but Maryland goalie Dan Morris made the biggest of his 11 saves on Leclaire’s attempt to prevent any more drama.
The win ended a long run of Memorial Day futility for Maryland. The decades-old program in the midst of the sport’s hotbed with a devoted fan base had lost in its last nine championship game appearances, none more agonizing than last year’s overtime loss to North Carolina.
“Given where we were last year and having been in this spot and losing a heartbreaker, there was a couple different ways we could go. We could have let last year’s loss basically impact this year,” Terrapins coach John Tillman said. “And I think it speaks to the leadership of this group and their ability to kind of put things behind them and move forward to give us a chance this year. I’m proud of their efforts. It was cer- tainly a team win. It wasn’t pretty, but I’m certainly proud of how hard they played.”
The win also gave Maryland a men’s and women’s lacrosse championship double, matching the Tar Heels’ feat of a year ago. But though the women’s program has been more successful in title games, having won its 14th on the same Gillette Stadium field Sunday, Tillman said his men’s team wasn’t really pressured over the years.
“Our alums are really awesome about that,” he said. “You talk to our alums, and they say, ‘It’s about you kids right now. It’s your team.’ We’re not going to run away and hide from that. We haven’t. Certainly we realize it’s been a long time. We embrace our past and have drawn strength from those guys. ... But this program means so much, and you know when you win it makes people happy.”
The loss ended an otherwise outstanding season for the Buckeyes, who advanced to the Championship Weekend big stage for the first time in program history and figure to have future chances to claim their first title.
“I’d just take this opportunity to thank the Buckeyes that are in that locker room that have really given us everything that a coach could ask for,” OSU coach Nick Myers said “They’ve created a new standard, both on the field and off, and helped really define what we refer to as the Buckeye way.”