WASHINGTON — Memorial Day weekend will be a convenient one for many in the Maryland Athletic Department, as well as the Sports Information Office.
Division I holds its Men’s and Women’s Final Fours in the same city (albeit at different venues), giving Terrapin boosters a chance to “bundle” their National Championship hopes. Both teams enter the national semifinals this weekend as No. 1 seeds and prohibitive favorites.
Can the school pull off the first lacrosse double-dip since Princeton in 1994?
For the Maryland Women (21-0), the Final Four that was once a goal to reach is now a standard expected to be met by Cathy Reese’s program. The Terps have made eight straight trips to the National Semifinals.
That means not only has every player on this team been on a Final Four squad, but everyone they’ve played with during their careers has also suited up during the National Semifinals.
“You’re a little six-year old playing lacrosse, this is what you dream of,” said sophomore attacker Megan Whittle. “I’ve always wanted to be wearing a Maryland uniform playing in the Final Four … on the biggest stage.”
Whittle’s 69 goals paced the team and helped them reach this stage (she has the most goals per game of any player still in the tournament).
For a team that’s won two straight National Championships and began 2016 ranked No. 1, this was a group that still needed to find itself.
“We returned five starters off of last year’s group, so we had a lot of work to do,” said head coach Cathy Reese.
“I think our chemistry is really unique this year. We’re playing with a lot of confidence and great energy.”
The Terps lead the nation in scoring with 15.38 goals per game. In addition to Whittle, senior Zoe Stukenberg and Taylor Cummings provide the necessary firepower.
Stukenberg and company beat semifinal foe Syracuse 14-9 in March and says “we know they’ve evolved a lot as the season has progressed and so have we.” One key for the Terps: contain Kayla Treanor (49 goals and 40 assists, including 3 goals against Maryland in March).
When you reach the Final Four eight straight years, the last weekend in May not only becomes competition for the current team, but an annual pilgrimage for Reese’s former players. Stukenberg has had a chance to witness two previous “reunion weekends.”
“Almost everyone who has played in those Fours will be there cheering us on Friday,” she said. “I think that’s one of the most special parts about being a Terp during championship weekend. They’re all over the country, and everyone makes an effort to come and support us.”
Instead of the fans in the stands, though, or even the opponent, Reese looks inward for her motivation.
“For us, our focus is all about Maryland … what do we need to do to be prepared for anything that we see,” she said.
“This is what you work for … the chance to get out there and compete in this venue.”
In addition to Syracuse (19-5), the other semifinal features North Carolina (18-2) against Penn State (14-6) in a new twist on a Big Ten-ACC Challenge. The Terps beat both the Tar Heels and Nittany Lions by one goal during the regular season.
Friday Faceoff Times:
#3 North Carolina vs. Penn State, 5 p.m. (ESPN3)
#1 Maryland vs. #4 Syracuse, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN3)
The Maryland Men (16-2) may be facing Brown (16-2), but the Terps are also confronting a 40+ year title drought as well as facing down the ghosts of last year’s Championship Game loss to Denver. Senior Matt Dunn remembers that day all too well.
“I don’t think it’s something we want to make too much of a deal out of … but I feel it’s definitely a source of motivation knowing we worked hard last year and didn’t get to achieve our goal — but now have another chance to,” he said.
This season, they’re leaving nothing to chance, entering the Final Four on a 15-game winning streak. How hot has this team been? Their closest margin of victory in the Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments has been six goals.
This is the fifth time in six years since coming to College Park that coach John Tillman has the Terps this far; as opposed to previous editions that were seeded 6th and 7th before reaching the final weekend this has been his first team seeded No. 1.
“We don’t have that known faceoff commodity [this year],” Tillman acknowledged. “And we’ve had more of our ups and downs there. I think we’re a little more a deeper team … which we hope we may be able to turn into an advantage.”
Five players have 20 or more goals, led by Matt Rambo’s 39 (the junior ranks second on the team with 24 assists). Senior Bryan Cole is the team’s top distributor with 27 assists this spring.
But make no mistake, Saturday’s showdown will come down to how Maryland defends Brown’s offense. A lot will rest on the shoulders of senior goalie Kyle Bernlohr.
“The style they play is pretty free-flowing,” Bernlohr said of Brown. “They’re a transition-heavy team. They’re loaded at every position … and can find the back of the net.”
The Bears lead the nation in scoring with 16.44 goals per game and the Terps allow the fourth-fewest goals in Division I (while their man-down unit ranks third). Brown likely won’t have the nation’s No. 1 assist man in Dylan Molloy, who injured his right foot in their NCAA First Round game against Johns Hopkins and didn’t play last weekend against Navy.
Even without Molloy, Brown boasts two of the top ten scorers in the nation in Kylor Bellistri and Henry Blynn. Bellistri and Blynn. Sounds like a law firm I don’t want to be on the other side of a big case against.
The other semifinal features Loyola Maryland (14-3) against North Carolina (10-6) in the upset-riddled half of the bracket; the Greyhounds were the No. 7 seed and the Tar Heels had to shock Marquette and Notre Dame to reach Philadelphia.
Saturday Faceoff Times:
#7 Loyola vs. North Carolina, 12 p.m. (ESPN2)
Maryland vs. Brown, 2:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
