Brian Ruppel’s first three games as the full-time starter for No. 2 Maryland men’s lacrosse have been shaky.
Despite making double-digit saves in the first two outings, the senior goalie has struggled with some high-powered offenses. Ruppel conceded 19 goals in the pair of games leading up to Saturday’s contest against No. 12 Princeton.
And it went from bad to worse early on. The Tigers had their way with Maryland’s defensive group, and Ruppel had no answers on some rather simple shots. After allowing
four scores in the first eight minutes and seven in the opening half, Princeton’s offense continued to feast.
Ruppel was peppered at the near corner often, and he failed to make the necessary stops. Those defensive inabilities led to Maryland’s 13-12 loss at SECU Stadium. The Terps have now lost consecutive games for the ninth time under John Tillman and for the first time since 2024.
Ruppel finished with a season-low 38.1% save percentage and only stopped eight shots.
The nation’s second-best defense last season saw tons of roster turnover, including the departure of longtime goalie Logan McNaney. The Terps have felt the effects. Replacement defenders Peter Laake and Michael Alexander have failed to support Ruppel between the pipes.
Maryland has allowed teams to impose their will early on, conceding close-range shot attempts that have put Ruppel in precarious situations. But the netminder hasn’t done himself any favors. Ruppel has let some balls squeak by that he’d like to have back.
With a struggling Princeton offense coming to town, the Terps had a chance to erase their defensive shortcomings. The Tigers scored just seven goals in their season-opening loss to No. 10 Penn State.
But Princeton returned to last season’s attacking glory within the game’s opening minutes. The Tigers scored on their first two possessions — a sign of the ensuing onslaught Ruppel would be tasked with fighting.
Despite Maryland’s struggles to contain Princeton, the offense helped keep pace.
Zach Whittier and Chris Lyons were the catalysts early on. The attacking midfield duo combined for just one assist in the Terps’ previous game. But Whittier and Lyons linked up with Maryland’s attacking weapons for three first-quarter assists, and Whittier even added a goal of his own.
With the game tied at four just eight minutes into the game, both offenses slowed down significantly. The teams settled in defensively, leading to a 15-minute scoring drought. Turnovers continued to plague the Terps, who had seven in the opening half.
And Princeton immediately capitalized, with two goals in a matter of two seconds late in the second quarter. The Tigers’ faceoff specialist Andrew McMeekin won the battle at X and instantly fed Colin Burns on the doorstep for Princeton’s seventh score.
Ball watching was part of the larger issue for Maryland defensively. The Terps were caught staring at the ball behind the cage, allowing Princeton to cut towards the crease for easy looks.
Still, Braden Erksa’s goal with just nine seconds left in the quarter helped keep Maryland’s deficit at a manageable margin. The Terps trailed 7-6 heading into the break.
But the necessary defensive adjustments did not happen in the second half. The Tigers scored on consecutive possessions after halftime to grow their lead to three — Maryland’s second-largest deficit this season.
That’s when the Terps’ stars attempted to take over. Leo Johnson netted his second goal and Henry Dodge linked up with Eric Spanos, who was a key factor for Maryland’s offense late. Dodge won the faceoff and used his clear path to feed Spanos on the left wing for a tight-angled shot at the far post.
Johnson and Spanos have been Maryland’s best source of offense when a response is necessary. With the Terps’ staring at another defeat, the duo scored four of their six goals in the second half.
But ultimately, Maryland’s final shot to tie the game was denied by Princeton goalie Ryan Croddick.
Three things to know
1. Comeback efforts thwarted. With 22 seconds left, Maryland had one final possession to force overtime. But Elijah Stobaugh’s last-ditch effort was stopped on the goal line just inches away from sneaking in.
2. Streak snapped. The Terps have had Princeton’s number under John Tillman. Maryland was undefeated in its nine previous games dating back to 2004. But Saturday’s loss ended that run and left the Terps with a losing record on the season.
3. Third-quarter faceoff success. In Maryland’s game against No. 1 Syracuse, Dodge controlled the X in the third quarter to help give it a chance of a comeback. That was true again. The Terps won seven of the first eight faceoffs after halftime to allow them to remain within striking distance.
