Clash of the lacrosse titans
Terps trounce Vermont to set up rematch with two-time defending champion Virginia in NCAA Tournament quarters
COLLEGE PARK — Next up for No. 1 ranked Maryland men’s lacrosse is unseeded but two-time defending national champion Virginia. The two teams will meet Sunday in the NCAA Division I quarterfinals at Ohio State, and it’s been the most anticipated game of the year ever since the Terps (15-0) trounced the Cavaliers, 23-12, in Washington on March 19. Both Virginia and Maryland had opening-round games this weekend, but those were mere formalities.
Much was being made about the Cavaliers (12-3) having to play No. 8 Brown on Saturday. The two teams have a history with former Virginia coach Dom Starsia having coached at Brown, but this game was over after the midway point of the third quarter as Virginia outscored the
Bears, 8-1, in the final 23 minutes for a 17-10 victory.
Maryland had to face Vermont (12-7) Sunday in a game that was virtually over before halftime and was about as entertaining as watching another rerun of The Andy Griffith Show. Logan Wisnauskas, Eric Malever, Owen Murphy, Jonathan Donville, Jack Koras and Anthony DeMaio each scored goals to give Maryland a 6-1 lead with 11 minutes, 12 seconds left in the second period on the way to a 21-5 victory, the largest margin of victory in an NCAA
Tournament game.
Ho-hum. Bring on the Wahoos.
There are few teams, if any, that can match up with the Terps athletically, but Virginia is one, and it has a history of playing its best late in the season. Plus, the Cavaliers have no fear of Maryland, having beat the Terps, 13-12, in overtime in the 2019 NCAA Tournament, and then 17-16 last year in the title game as Maryland also entered that game unbeaten.
The game presents numerous interesting matchups but the most intriguing might be the battle between the faceoff specialists, two of the best in the sport. Virginia’s Petey LaSalla has won 205 of
333 (62%) this season, including 20 of 31 against Brown despite being slowed by injuries. Maryland counters with Luke Wierman, who entered Sunday’s game having won 236 of 361 (65%) faceoffs.
When the two faced each other earlier this season, Wierman won 24 of 36 and LaSalla five of 18.
Edge: Wierman.
Virginia has to win faceoffs to stay in the game. The Cavaliers have a great offense in attackmen Matt Moore (25 goals, 25 assists) and Connor Shellenberger (32, 44), but the Terps can slow them with defensemen Brett Makar, the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, and Ajax Zappitello.
Makar is expected to match up with Moore, but there is speculation Moore is slowed by a leg injury, which means the Terps might shift Makar to Shellenberger. Regardless, that doesn’t mean Virginia can’t control the pace of the game and slow
down Maryland’s offense.
Maryland controlled the tempo in March by winning at the faceoff X but also by breaking the Cavaliers’ vaunted 10-man ride. It was ineffective as Maryland was successful on 22 of 23 clears and three long
poles from the Terps scored goals, an indication that the Terps completed more long passes than Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Maryland also seems to have an edge in goalie play with junior Logan McNaney, who has a .558 save percentage, compared to the inexperience of Virginia freshman Matthew Nunes, who has a .510 save percentage. The Terps are very good at forcing shooters to the outside and down alleys, which allows McNaney to get the proper angles in stopping shots.
Both teams are extremely athletic in the midfield, but the Terps are so deep on attack and at the midfield. Their three starting attackmen each have more than 20 assists while Wisnauskas leads the team with 48 goals. Keegan Khan has 29 and Malever has 23. It’s an overwhelming attack. The Terps midfield has an ideal combination of speed and excellent shooting and they aren’t losing much talent from No. 1 to No. 6. It all sounds like this is Maryland’s year, but a lot of people thought that in 2019 and again last season. Never count out the Cavaliers.