Maryland men's lacrosse squeezes the Orange in win over nation's No. 2 Syracuse
The Syracuse Orange (3-1) rode into SECU Stadium with all the national buzz that an offense averaging 18 goals will generate. Odds-makers pegged the Orange as a 3.5 goal favorite against a Terps (3-0) that struggled last weekend on the road at Loyola.
On a cold, wet day with sleet and snow mixing into rain, two historic programs met in College Park for a Top 10 match-up. The Syracuse Orange (3-1) rode into SECU Stadium with all the national buzz that an offense averaging 18 goals will generate. Odds-makers pegged the Orange as a 3.5 goal favorite against a Terps (3-0) that struggled last weekend on the road at Loyola.
That prolific Syracuse offense, led by Joey Spallina, looked like a buzzsaw of Sports Center highlights. Playing at breakneck speed and throwing behind-the-back passes and shots, the Orange wanted to make a statement that they could beat the best in a Maryland program whose mantra is "Be the Best."
Instead, the Orange left SECU Stadium wondering if they have championship mettle after the Terps dominant 11-7 win.
The Maryland defense put on a clinic, backstopped by Logan McNaney (12sv, 62 percent), and showed it was an immovable object while the Maryland offensive midfield ran wave after wave of players to grind down a shallow Syracuse defensive midfield.
The Maryland offense looked sharp early, as they got two good shots on their first possession but couldn't score. The Terps' defense showed early it would make life difficult on Syracuse by forcing a Syracuse turnover on their first possession.
McNaney then made a save on a behind-the-back offering, but in the scramble for possession and a clear, Syracuse forced a failed clear by the Terps. With the new shot clock, Syracuse again went to work but couldn't crack the Terps' defense. The Terps appeared for force another Syracuse turnover, but the Jackson Canfield (1gb, 1ct) was called for a push. That gave the Orange a third attempt with a full shot clock, and Maryland coach John Tillman called a timeout to give his defense a rest. McNaney, however, made a save on a low angle Joey Spallina (2g, 2a) offering.
The Terps had a great chance to score when Braden Erksa (1g, 1a) forced a failed Syracuse clear and beat his man to the inside, but his pass to the crease just missed a cutting Bryce Ford (2g). Syracuse would make the Terps pay.
Off a scramble, Spallina had the ball behind the goal and saw a cutting Tre Deere, who shot around-the-world for 1-0 Syracuse lead.
Meanwhile, Terrapin shooters continued to pepper Jimmy McCool (12sv, 52 percent) shots but couldn't solve him early.
They finally struck. After the Terps won a run-out on an Orange shot, the Terps' second midfield line got the Syracuse defense spinning. The ball rotated through X behind the goal via Erksa, who moved the ball up the left side to Jack Dowd (1a). Dowd moved the ball one more to Elijah Stobaugh (1g), who rifled a high shot past McCool to tie the game 1-1.
The goal marked Stobaugh's first career goal as a Terp.
McNaney then gave up a goal he probably would like back. Luke Rhoa danced up top with nowhere really to go and let loose with a 15-yard shot that beat McNaney to his stick side.
Syracuse won the next faceoff with just under a minute remaining in the quarter, but McNaney made a redemptive save on a tough shot. The Terps quickly cleared the ball and set up for a final possession.
Matt Keegan (1g) pushed to the middle of the field and got under his defender. As a Syracuse defender slid to his face, he switched the stick to his right hand and beat McCool away to tie the score at 2-2 with just five seconds left in the quarter.
The teams traded possessions to start the second quarter, and the Terrapin defense made the next big play of the game. Late into a Syracuse shot clock, AJ Larkin (1g, 1gb) picked up a ground ball off a deflected pass. He cleared two Syracuse long poles awaiting him at the midfield line. He raced into the Syracuse zone and bounced an off hip shot past McCool to get the Terrapins their first lead of the day at 3-2.
The lead would not last a minute. Sam English darted behind the goal and zipped a pass into the crease where Finn Thomson quick sticked it to tie the game at 3-3.
The Terps would force a Spallina turnover and went to work on offense. Eric Spanos (2g, 2a) drew a short stick matchup late in the shot clock. He hitched and went behind the goal but threw a quick pass to the back post. Erksa quick sticked the shot, and the Terps led 4-3 with about halfway to go in the second quarter.
Syacuse struck back when Spallina drove across to the middle of the field and seemingly benefitted from a moving pick. He beat McNaney high to tie the game at 4-4. Spallina then beat McNaney low coming around the goal to give Syracuse a 5-4 lead, which stood as the teams entered halftime.
The teams exchanged shots to begin the second half, and McNaney saved a shot. He immediately sent an outlet pass to George Stamos. As Stamos raced up field, Syracuse's Michael Leo tripped him and sent the Terps to the extra man.
The Terps patiently moved the ball around the Orange man down zone, and Dowd stepped into a 10-yard shot that McCool saved. The rebound, however, went right to the crease where Eliot Dubick (1g) picked up the ball and sent a back-handed shot past McCool. That tied the game at 5-5.
Maryland's defense then fully clamped the Syracuse offense. They forced two shot clock violations and McNaney made a clean save to get the Terps possession. Syracuse's defensive midfield absorbed waves of pressure from dodging Terrapin midfielders.
The pressure paid off. Late into a shot clock, Spanos drove hard down the right alley. He fed cross crease to Daniel Kelly (2g), who one-timed a shot past McCool. That put the Terps up 6-5 with just over five minutes remaining in the third quarter.
The Terps would not relinquish the lead for the remainder of the game.
Maryland's relentless pressure forced another Syracuse mistake. The Orange went offsides and sent the Terps to their second extra-man opportunity. The Terps made the Orange pay.
The Terps moved the ball at speed around the Syracuse defense, forcing the Orange to wheel around. Erksa threaded a pass from below the goal to Spanos up near the restraining line. Spanos had time and room, and be blasted a high shot past McCool. That gave the Terps a 7-5 lead.
Just a minute later after another Terps' faceoff win by Shea Keethler (8-14), the Terps continued to grind the Syracuse defense. Spanos took the ball behind the goal and swept to the right side. He got a step on his defender and beat McCool low, which put the Terps up 8-5.
Owen Hiltz drew one back just 30-seconds later, and the Terps led 8-6 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Terps continued to press their midfield advantage, and Syracuse hopped into a zone to try to spare its midfield. The Terps had an extended possession with a shot clock reset. Late into the reset, Zach Whittier (1a) danced down the left alley and threw back to Ford. Ford crow-hopped into a 10-yard shot and beat McCool.
That extended the Terps' lead to 9-6.
Kelly would push the lead to 10-6. McNaney made a difficult save on a Sam English twister shot. After Maryland cleared the ball, the offense again went to work. Spanos took a jump shot that McCool saved low but kicked up a rebound. Kelly swooped in, caught the ball, and dunked it over a sprawling McCool. The referees reviewed the goal, and it stood.
Meanwhile, the Terps continued to strangle the vaunted Syracuse offense.
The Orange drew an offsides penalty. The Terps killed it off, but Hiltz scored on the doorstep to close Maryland's lead to 10-7 with just over six-minutes remaining in the game.
Ford, the Fairfield transfer, struck back just a minute later. Late in the shot clock, he took the ball behind the goal. He drove hard up the left side of the goal and blasted a fallaway shot over McCool. That restored the Terps' lead to 11-7.
McNaney made another difficult save, his 12th of the game, and the Terps again went to grind on Syracuse's tired defense. The Terps took a shot clock violation, but Stobaugh and Kelly rode the ball back. Aidan Aiken, seeing his first extended time as a Terp, drew a penalty with just under three-minutes left in the game.
The Terps chose to bleed the clock instead of going to goal, and Syracuse was forced to chase with under two minutes left in the game. The Terps' defense put the finishing touches on their masterpiece, holding Syracuse 11 goals below their season total.
Like the win against Richmond, who beat Virginia earlier in the day, this win over Syracuse will age well through the remainder of the season. The Orange offense will continue to pummel inferior opponents, and the Orange will contend for an ACC championship.
The Terps reward for this dominant performance is a trip to New Jersey next weekend to take on third-ranked Princeton, who escaped Happy Valley with an overtime win.
