Balanced scoring, depth, 41-21 ground ball edge key in NCAA opener
When Hofstra’s John Antoniades cross-ckecked Maryland’s Ryan Young to the helmet in the fourth period of Saturday’s NCAA tournament opener, the junior attackman took offense, head-butting the Pride faceoff man and triggering a brief throw down.
The play was emblematic of a hard-fought game, full of big hits and end-to-end action. It also provided the extra boost of adrenaline that third-seeded Maryland needed to subdue the unseeded visitors, 11-8, before 1,641 at Byrd Stadium.
In getting goals from 10 different players, Maryland (12-3) advances to the NCAA quarterfinals for the third straight year. The Terps will play Princeton or Notre Dame next weekend at Princeton.
Hofstra (9-5) gave Maryland all it could handle Saturday. When defensive midfielder Tim Holman picked off an errant pass by Maryland goalie Brian Phipps and scored his first goal this season, it gave Hofstra a 5-4 lead in the third period. Early in the fourth period, when Holman scored again, it reduced the Terps lead to 7-6.
“We just couldn’t get away from them,” said Maryland coach Dave Cottle. “We said they were a Final Four team if they get some saves. They had 10 saves in the first half and I’m going, ‘Ugh.’”
But Maryland finally solved Hofstra sophomore goalie Andrew Gvozden (Severna Park), one of just two Pride players from Maryland. Gvozden finished with 13 saves, but none came in the decisive final period when Maryland went on a four-goal run in a span of 6 minutes, 16 seconds.
Freshman long-stick Jesse Bernhardt triggered the rally with a strip that led to a fast-break goal, Travis Reed passing across the crease to Young. When Antoniades and Young tangled off the ensuing faceoff, the Hofstra freshman was penalized 2 minutes to 1 for Young. Maryland didn’t waste the man-up opportunity as midfielder Adam Sear scoring off a feed from Will Yeatman (one goal, two assists).
When Young (two goals, one assist) scored his second goal of the period, he put the Terps up 10-6. Yeatman then sewed it up with a clincher with 3:08 to go.
Maryland junior defender Ryder Bohlander and senior goalie Brian Phipps (14 saves) were standouts. Bohlander shut out Hofstra’s top scorer, Jamie Lincoln, holding him to a single shot.
“Credit to Maryland. They were in his mittens all day,” said Hofstra coach Seth Tierney.
Junior midfielder Dan Burns also was key, defending Hofstra midfield sparkplug Dan Stein in the second half. Stein was limited to one assist.
“Danny Burns was the difference in this game. We moved him off the first midfield to play [Stein],” said Cottle. “We didn’t have to slide to him as much.”
Going against Antoniades, who entered with a .562 faceoff percentage, Maryland senior Bryn Holmes won 15 of 22 and registered the biggest legal hit of the afternoon, a de-cleater, that forced a turnover that Maryland’s Dean Hart turned into a goal late in the third period.
Maryland also dominated ground balls, 41-21, led by long-stick Brian Farrell (6 ground balls, 2 caused turnovers), who also scored the Terps first goal. Maryland’s trio of close defenders – Max Schmidt, Brett Schmidt, and Bohlander – had three ground balls each and caused a combined five turnovers.
“Maryland’s great off the ground,” said Tierney. “Some pretty physical scrums out there. The ball often found its way into a red stick.”
Maryland also thrived in the fourth quarter by being fresher. The Terps played four midfield lines, and got goals from five non-starters.
“You throw so many guys out there, maybe [the defense] forgets what hand they are,” said Cottle. “We thought coming into this year that maybe we weren’t as good as some teams 1-15, but we could be better than a lot of teams, 16 to 32. That’s kind of how we built this team.”
Note » Canadian attackman Jay Card had four goals for Hofstra.
