High noon for Terp men, women
Like the Virginia men and women, Maryland’s pair of highly-seeded lacrosse teams open at home in their respective NCAA tournaments, but with one difference – they’ll play simultaneously.
While the No. 3 Maryland men (11-3) host Hofstra (9-4) at Byrd Stadium, the No. 1 Maryland women (18-1) face Marist (10-7) at nearby Ludwig Field. Both games begin at noon.
There was much debate concerning the fitness of Hofstra for an NCAA berth. The Pride didn’t even qualify for the Colonial Athletic Conference tournament, but wins over NCAA tournament participants Army, Johns Hopkins, and Delaware and CAA regular-season champion, Towson, were enough to secure a bid.
The Marist women reached the tournament with a surprising win over Fairfield, 9-7, in the Metro Atlantic championship game. Erin Wilson (39 draw controls, 37 ground balls) was the MAC tournament MVP. Sophomore Kelly Condon (64 points) was the MAC Offensive Player of the Year.
The No. 1 seed could be a good omen for the Terp women. The last time it was seeded that high (2001), Maryland won its last of seven consecutive national championships, a record now under assault from five-time defending NCAA champion Northwestern. The No. 2 Wildcats (17-1) host Notre Dame (11-6) on Saturday.
Role reversal at Navy
With a loss in the Patriot League championship game, the Navy men’s streak of six NCAA tournament appearances came to an end. Instead it was the Navy women who earned their first tournament berth in just their third year of existence.
Navy (17-3) will play at No. 3 North Carolina (15-2) on Saturday at noon. The Mids are propelled by the nation’s leading scorer, senior Erin Rawlick (74 goals, 34 assists).
It was perhaps only a matter of time for coach Cindy Timchal, the most decorated coach in NCAA lacrosse history. As coach at Maryland from 1991-2006, Timchal led Maryland to eight of its NCAA-record nine women’s championships.
In her first Division I season at Navy (2008), Timchal directed a team of almost all underclassmen to a 13-4 record.
