Eric Spanos has been the heartbeat of No. 10 Maryland men’s lacrosse’s offense over the last four seasons. The senior attacker has bagged at least 15 goals in each year, including a team-high 36 scores and 19 assists in 2025.
But without Spanos for a second consecutive game, the Terps needed their other offensive weapons to step up against Delaware. They delivered. Braden Erksa and Chris Lyons logged arguably their best games of the season, combining for seven goals during the 13-8 victory.
After conceding
double-digit goals in three straight games, Brian Ruppel was steady between the pipes on Friday. Ruppel totaled a season-best 57.9% save rate and has now posted consecutive 11-save performances.
With rival Virginia limping into Saturday’s contest, Maryland hopes to snag its biggest win thus far. Opening faceoff is slated for 1 p.m. from SECU Stadium, and the game will air on Big Ten Network.
Virginia Cavaliers (3-3, 0-0 ACC)
2025 Record: 6-8, 0-4 ACC
Virginia has been a staple in the NCAA Tournament field since it started in 1971, missing it just 11 times. The program’s consistency has been furthered under head coach Lars Tiffany. He has guided Virginia to nine appearances and a pair of national titles during his 10 seasons at the helm.
But the Cavaliers regressed significantly last season, producing their fewest wins since 2004. After winning two of its first three games, Virginia closed nonconference play against elite competition. It didn’t fare very well. A winless four-game stretch against ACC foes in rather embarrassing fashion didn’t help either.
While Virginia started the 2026 campaign with a comfortable win over Colgate, it’s been deja vu since. Losses to then-No. 8 Richmond and then-No. 16 John Hopkins were understandable given their opponents’ quality. But Virginia’s 13-9 defeat to Towson has put a typically elite program in unfamiliar territory — the Cavaliers are outside the top-20 for the first time this season.
Players to know
McCabe Millon, junior attacker, No. 9 — The buzz around Millon heading into his freshman season was undeniable, and rightfully so. Inside Lacrosse’s top-ranked class of 2023 prospect totaled an outrageous 41 goals and dished out 25 assists. While Virginia’s offense still revolves around Millon, he’s taken a backseat in the scoring department.
Instead, the preseason All-American leads the nation with 3.83 assists per contest — nearly matching his previous season total just six games into the year. But he hasn’t shied away from calling his own number. Millon has 15 goals, including a pair of four-goal performances.
Truitt Sunderland, senior attacker, No. 3 — Unlike Millon, Sunderland’s transition to college lacrosse was difficult. The class of 2022’s fourth-ranked prospect struggled to find his footing across his first two seasons. But Sunderland finally delivered on those expectations last season, netting a team-high 32 goals. He remains the Cavaliers’ top scorer in 2026 with 16 goals.
Griff Meyer, freshman faceoff specialist, No. 30 — It’s not often you see freshmen manning the X right away, but Meyer has proven his worth. He started the season with four consecutive double-digit faceoff wins en route to a 52.9% win rate. Virginia’s explosive offense has thrived on its extra possessions, and Meyer could once again be a vital factor in Saturday’s game.
Strength
Scoring depth. The Cavaliers’ raw attacking talent jumps off the page on initial glance — three top-10 prospects over the last four years. While Virginia only ranks eighth in the country in goals per game (14.3), it’s just scratching the surface on its potential. Still, the Cavaliers’ top-six offensive weapons combine for 71 goals and 56 assists, making them tough to defend.
Weakness
Protecting the net. Virginia may be able to keep pace with any attack in the country, but its defense has been a liability through six games. The Cavaliers concede the 24th-most goals nationally and have a save rate of 43.8%. Between Jake Marek and Kyle Morris, Virginia hasn’t had any answers between the pipes.
Three things to watch
1. Offensive explosion. Despite its victory, Maryland’s attack didn’t show drastic improvements against Delaware. The Terps only scored 13 times against one of the worst defenses in the country. Saturday’s game presents another bounce-back opportunity for a struggling unit. And they’ll need to capitalize to match the Cavaliers’ potent offense.
2. How does Ruppel fare? The senior goalie has faced three perennial attacking juggernauts, and had rough outings. Ruppel leaked 35 goals across the three-game losing streak, failing to produce a save percentage over 50%. Maryland’s defense will need to limit the traffic in front of the struggling netminder.
3. Winless start at SECU Stadium. Maryland dropped just two home games during the previous two seasons. They’ve already matched that number halfway through its 2026 home slate. The Terps’ lone home victory came inside Jones-Hill House, meaning it has yet to secure a victory in front of its rowdy crowd at SECU Stadium.
