Ualbany facing 2022 champ

Danes carry bad memory of 24-6 loss at Maryland a year ago

It’s a loss the University at Albany men’s lacrosse team remembers. How could the Great Danes forget?

They fell behind 11-0 on their way to a 24-6 loss at Maryland last season. The Terrapins scored the most goals by an opponent in Ualbany’s Division I history.

Of course, Maryland had a super team that went undefeated on its way to a national title. But that fact doesn’t lessen the sting, even a year later.

“No, I don’t think they (his players) forgot it,” Ualbany coach Scott Marr said with a laugh. “I don’t see how you forget it. It was as low a moment in my 23 years. Not just the score, but the fact we really just were in shock and we really just stopped playing and we didn’t play as hard as we could have and that was the disappointing part. It was probably the few times you could ever say that with one of my teams that that happened.”

Ualbany (1-3) gets a rematch on Saturday when defending national champion and fourthranked Maryland (3-2) comes to Casey Stadium for a noon faceoff.

Marr said his team is in a better frame of mind this time around. The Great Danes are coming off a 9-6 home loss to Umass on Tuesday.

“I think this team has a different mentality to it this year,” Marr said. “We’ve worked really hard since the fall and they’ve had a great attitude. Tuesday’s loss wasn’t a lack of effort. It was just a lack of execution on the offensive side. … We did a lot of really good things. We just didn’t do it all over the field and that’s what we have to strive for, especially when we get into (America East) conference play next week.”

Maryland will be the second defending national champion to come to Casey Stadium. Ualbany beat North Carolina in a 2017 NCAA first-round contest.

This is Maryland’s third trip to Ualbany as coach John Tillman shows a willingness to

travel to play anyone. The Terrapins lead the all-time series 6-1.

While the Terrapins aren’t undefeated this year, they do have victories over No. 16 Syracuse and No. 4 Princeton.

“It’s a great opportunity for this area again to see lacrosse played at the highest level,” Marr said. “An opportunity to see a team like Maryland play. Hopefully we play well and give them a good game and our fans are entertained.”