Maryland men’s lacrosse advances to Big Ten championship with 10-8 win over Penn State

Photo courtesy of Mackenzie Miles/Maryland Terrapins

No. 2-seed Maryland men’s lacrosse was stunned in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals last season by No. 3-seed Penn State, 19-9. After taking a commanding four-goal lead through the first half on Thursday, it seemed like the Terps would avoid another early tournament exit.

But a four-goal Nittany Lions’ third-quarter scoring output put Maryland in a precarious situation. The score remained tied at seven heading into the final seven minutes of play. The Terps desperately needed their offense to wake up.

Maryland didn’t have to wait long to find that source. Freshman Jack Schultz wrapped around a screen from Eric Spanos and spotted Daniel Kelly patiently waiting on the wing. Schultz lofted the ball to Kelly, who, without any hesitation, lasered his shot into the bottom corner. That was all the breathing room the Terps needed.

Kelly’s fourth goal of the game propelled Maryland to a 10-8 victory Thursday afternoon in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Terps now face No. 1-seed Ohio State in the title game on Saturday.

“I felt like all the guys just stuck together,” head coach John Tillman said. “This group has been totally united. There was no pointing fingers, [it was] just stick together, follow the plan, do the little things. And that’s really a credit to those guys.”

Soon after Kelly pushed Maryland ahead by one, the fifth-year attacker set his career-high with five goals from nearly an identical spot.

The Terps’ play call produced the same result. This time, it was midfielder Zach Whittier with the pass. The midfielder used a screen at the top of the attacking zone and flipped the ball across his body to Kelly. After receiving the low pass, Kelly sidearmed his shot past goalie Jack Fracyon.

Maryland’s 10th and final score of the contest came on its ensuing offensive possession. Matthew Keegan circled around the net, faked the pass and pulled the trigger into the top corner for his fourth hat trick of the season and the team’s third goal in four minutes.

But the Terps’ offense wasn’t always humming. 

After taking a 6-2 lead into halftime, Maryland came out of the break flat-footed. Penn State took advantage, capitalizing on an extended Terps’ scoring drought. Kelly produced his hat trick with 2:35 left in the second quarter. That would be Maryland’s last score for nearly 20 minutes.

However, the Terps didn’t have many opportunities to score. Maryland’s faceoff unit has been its weakness all season long. The Nittany Lions exploited those struggles, particularly in the second half. The Terps corralled just two of the 10 second-half draw controls.

“I just felt like the ball just kept coming back down our way and down our way… they just kept getting the ball and then could keep grinding us down,” Tillman said. “We had some untimely turnovers.”

Without really any offensive possessions for Maryland to turn to for momentum, the defensive unit was under duress. Penn State fired 26 shots in the second half, but only nine were on frame. 

Led by the Nittany Lions’ balanced attack, they quickly climbed back into the game, erasing a four-goal deficit in the span of five minutes.

Penn State attacker Matt Traynor has fueled his team’s offense at times this season, highlighted by a seven-goal barrage against Johns Hopkins four games ago. However, the senior was held in check throughout both meetings against the Terps, managing three combined goals.

While the chances were there for Traynor on Thursday, generating 10 shots and five on frame, he failed to convert on numerous occasions. But Traynor’s lone score of the game tied the game at six, capping off the Nittany Lions’ comeback.

Logan McNaney has been the anchor of Maryland’s defense this season, fueling the second-best scoring defense. The graduate student ranks fourth in the country with a 60.3% save percentage. McNaney posted another stellar performance with 10 saves and eight goals conceded for a 55.6% save percentage.

“Logan’s always been so calm and cool… credit to him, credit to our defense,” Tillman said. 

Despite being called upon nine times in the opening half, McNaney was up to the challenge, holding Penn State’s offense to just two scores.

And the Terps took full advantage of the lopsided goalkeeping play. Maryland only produced 10 shots on target in the first half, but that was all it would need. The Terps were critical with their looks, particularly early on. 

Braden Erksa got the party started for Maryland just 32 seconds into the game, as Penn State immediately committed an early turnover off the opening faceoff. The goal would kickstart the Terps’ offensive success, notching six first-half scores.

On March 29, when these teams last met, Eric Spanos was Maryland’s offensive spark plug, tallying his third hat trick of the season on four shots. The senior was held scoreless for the second consecutive contest.

It didn’t matter, though. Kelly and Keegan accounted for eight of the Terps’ 10 goals and scored the team’s last six tallies of the contest.

Maryland will return to action on Saturday at 8 p.m. for a rematch with No. 1-seed Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game.