Entering the weekend, Terrapin men’s lacrosse coach Dave Cottle recognized the potential for a trap game against Fairfield on Saturday.
He had plenty to worry about. The No. 3 Terps were still on the mend, both physically and mentally, from a draining loss to Virginia in the ACC championship game, and the pregame Senior Day festivities could have functioned more as a distraction than a celebration.
Even more concerning, the unranked Stags boasted the nation’s top statistical goalie, Joseph Marra. Battling a wave of emotions and a lockdown netminder, the Terps were in what Cottle called a “potentially scary position.”
But the coach need not have worried. The Terps easily dispatched Fairfield, posting their highest goal total of the season in a 17-4 victory.
“It just was so great to come out here and just put a complete game together, finally,” long pole midfielder Brian Farrell said. “Start fast, finish strong — it was just a great week.”
Just minutes after a pregame ceremony to honor the eight Terps playing their final regular season game at Byrd Stadium, senior midfielder Adam Sear fittingly kicked off the scoring deluge with a man-up goal a little more than a minute into the game.
Though the Stags (8-5) appeared to score soon after, the referees nullified the goal because of a crease violation. From that point on, the Terps ruled the quarter, outshooting their opponents 15-3 and winning 5-of-7 faceoffs, hardly letting the Stags touch the ball.
“I just thought we put a lot of pressure on them defensively, especially between the lines,” Cottle said. “And by putting pressure on them, we got a bunch of transition opportunities.Their goalie’s a heck of a goalie, but we just kept outnumbering them.”
Then, less than 1:30 into the second quarter, Marra blocked a shot by midfielder Eric Boyle, but flubbed the pickup in the crease, accidentally sending it rolling over the goal line and giving Boyle his first career goal.
It was just that kind of day for the Terps (10-3). Fairfield stopped the next Terps’ possession, picking up a shot that had rolled wide. But when Marra came out of the crease to clear, attackman Grant Catalino intercepted the pass on the 40-yard line and hurled a long shot that bounced easily into the cage, one of his four goals in the game.
“Catalino can shoot the lights out,” Farrell said. “It’s amazing how well he’s playing right now. You can’t ask for anything better.”
By halftime, the Terps held a 10-1 lead. Though Marra, who leads the nation in save percentage and goals against average, had 10 saves, they came at a cost. Marra faced 30 shots in the first half — an average of a shot per minute — and the Stags pulled him after intermission to get a fresh presence in the cage.
It didn’t help. Even without starting senior attackman Will Yeatman, who missed his second straight game with a concussion, the Terps dominated. Eleven players scored in the game, and the Terps held a 14-goal lead entering the fourth quarter.
By the time Fairfield scored three straight to open the frame, the game was more coronation than competition. Three Terps played for the first time in their careers, including attackman Mike Poiter, who scored one of the game’s final two goals. And after attackman Fran Gormley capped the barrage with a goal, the game ended just how it started: with a senior scoring.
Much to Cottle’s relief, the team showed no lag from its loss to Virginia the week before. Rather, the Terps’ play most resembled their dominant 13-5 victory over North Carolina in the opening round of the ACC Tournament.
“We came out and showed everyone that we’re back,” Cummings said. “We literally didn’t lose a step.”
And while the game marked the last regular season home game for the seniors, the Terps all but assured they’ll return home soon enough. With Saturday’s win and another next weekend at Colgate, the team will likely guarantee itself a first-round NCAA Tournament game at Byrd Stadium.
kyanchulis@umdbk.com
