No. 3-seed Maryland men’s lacrosse has crafted a comeback effort in each of its losses this season. It’s fallen short every time.
In Thursday’s Big Ten Tournament semifinal clash against No. 2-seed Penn State, the Terps scored on consecutive possessions midway through the fourth quarter. Maryland’s three-goal fourth-quarter deficit was suddenly trimmed to one.
But the Terps couldn’t win the ensuing faceoff on multiple occasions, and it came back to bite them. After Braden Erksa scored to make it a 6-5
game, Penn State scored just 15 seconds later, erasing Maryland’s momentum.
Despite Eric Spanos’ second goal with three minutes left, the Terps once again failed to get the timely stop needed to produce a game-tying shot. After reaching the championship game in four of the last five seasons, Maryland suffered an 8-6 loss in the Big Ten semifinals Thursday.
Faceoffs were the biggest storyline heading into the game. Maryland, the nation’s second-best unit, lost the faceoff battle just once all season — in its regular season matchup against Penn State.
The Nittany Lions had Maryland’s number once again. The Terps won just one of the seven fourth-quarter faceoffs, costing them crucial late-game scoring opportunities.
In the previous meeting, Spanos was a nonfactor while returning from injury, held pointless for the first time in two seasons despite firing seven shots.
But Spanos got off to a hot start Thursday. He was granted space from an Elijah Stobaugh pick and uncorked a laser into the far-post top corner on Maryland’s first possession.
However, after Spanos’ goal, the production dipped significantly. Maryland was held scoreless over the final 28 minutes of the first half. It struggled to get out of its own defensive half.
While the Terps’ defense suffocated Penn State’s balanced attack early on — it was held scoreless over the opening 10 minutes — the Nittany Lions found their groove soon after. The Big Ten’s top offense poured in goals on consecutive possessions.
Hunter Aquino, Penn State’s top goalscorer through the first five games, shouldered the scoring production in the first half. After missing a lengthy spell of the season, his return at the tail end of Big Ten play gave Penn State a jolt offensively heading into the Big Ten Tournament.
The Nittany Lions’ go-to scorer caused Maryland’s defense problems from behind the cage. Aquino wrapped around the crease and spun back to his inside hand, burying Penn State’s second goal at the doorsteps.
He was just getting started. With nine minutes left in the second quarter, Aquino easily beat long-stick midfielder Trevor Owens and fired his shot into the far post. Aquino finished with a game-high three goals.
Maryland’s defense kept it in the game, down 3-1 at halftime. Quick stickwork from the Terps jarred the ball loose, forcing the Nittany Lions into 11 first-half turnovers. Even when Penn State attackers got free from their matchups, Maryland’s helpside defense slid well to shut down shooting lanes.
Penn State’s offense entered Thursday’s game averaging 13 goals per game, but the Terps held it to just three first-half scores — its second-fewest of the season. Still, the defense could only do so much, especially with the transition game also struggling.
The Terps have found difficulty clearing the ball at points this season, often opting to heave it down the field. But Penn State’s 10-man ride presented a unique challenge, and Maryland couldn’t find an answer. The Terps failed two clears in the first half, the latter leading to Penn State’s third score.
But Leo Johnson attempted to single-handedly will Maryland back from its two-goal deficit. The Terps’ leading scorer snapped their 29-minute scoring drought early in the second half. Stobaugh spotted Johnson unmarked on the left wing, and he immediately rifled it into the far post.
Johnson added one later in the third quarter from nearly the exact same spot to match Aquino’s third score. But his efforts weren’t enough.
Three things to know
1. Brian Ruppel struggles. Ruppel has endured some shaky moments in his senior season. While he managed double-digit saves in seven of the final nine games leading into the semifinal matchup, Thursday’s contest was a return to early-season struggles. Ruppel tied his career-low with five saves and only managed a 38.5% save percentage.
2. Possessions squandered. The Terps forced a season-high 19 turnovers, granting them extra offensive opportunities. Maryland couldn’t capitalize, though. The Terps’ inconsistent attack only fired 14 of their 32 shots on goal. Outside of Spanos and Johnson, the Terps’ supporting cast only contributed two goals.
3. NCAA tournament in doubt. For the first time in John Tillman’s tenure in College Park, the Terps are in jeopardy of missing the tournament. The Terps’ lack of quality wins coupled with six losses leaves them in a precarious situation heading into Selection Sunday. Maryland will likely need some help from other teams to hear its name called.
