PHILADELPHIA – The emotions were blatant and out in the open. They were plastered on the faces and in the words of Terrapin men’s lacrosse coach Dave Cottle and his players, especially his seniors.
Disappointment as they fell short again.
Frustration as had been favorites to win.
Astonishment as it was actually all over.
The Terps’ season came to an abrupt end on the same Lincoln Financial Field grass it did a season ago, but not with trophy in hand as they imagined and not even in the championship game.
As in last season, when Duke crushed a Cinderella Terp team 18-9, stunned seniors Joe Walters, Xander Ritz and Bill McGlone had to watch another team celebrate. The jubilant players came from this year’s Cinderella, unseeded Massachusetts, who eventually lost to undefeated Virginia.
In their final game, the seniors on offense had their worst combined performance of the last four years on the worst possible day. And when they played flat, there was no way for the Terps to rebound and extend their three-game winning streak.
The seniors were making their third trip to the final four, but in the end the experience didn’t equate to that Memorial Day matchup they talked about all season.
Instead of game planning for the national title game, the Terps instead found themselves sitting sullenly in their locker room while others dragged their equipment outside – many for the last time.
“As a senior, you think you’re mature enough to be able to handle the small things and to be able to lead your team to your final destination,” McGlone said. “It’s just extremely disappointing to be such a senior-dominated class and not be able to do it.
For a class that turned out to be one of the most explosive offensive groups in program history, it was a humbling end. Walters, McGlone and Brendan Healy were held without a single point in the same game for the first time in their Terp careers while the quartet of those three and Xander Ritz shot a combined 1-for-32.
The offensive breakdown epitomized the struggles the Terps suffered in their losses during the season. In each of their two losses to Virginia, the Terps scored five goals, and in home defeats to Navy and Bucknell, they scored six goals.
But this time, the senior class – who had carried the Terps for the last two seasons – was their downfall. In the post-game press conference, Cottle accepted the blame rather than pointing fingers at his player as he revisited the loss.
“This is our team. We got here with certain guys,” Cottle said. “We just needed somebody to step up and help us, and we just didn’t do that on the offensive end of the field.
“Our seniors got us to this point,” he added, sighing. “It didn’t work out for us.”
For the program, it was the 31st straight season without a championship. For the Terp seniors, it was their second loss in the NCAA semifinals.
Less than an hour after their loss, those seniors struggled to quantify how bad it felt to see their careers end the way they did.
“I never would have thought my career would end like this,” Walters said.
For Cottle, the end product of the season was the same as last year when the Terps lost to Duke 18-9, but the road there wasn’t the same. Cottle said he’d like to have the UMass game back, but added he wasn’t frustrated with the outcomes.
“This isn’t frustration. What we’re trying to do is find a way to keep playing.” Cottle said. “As coaches, we’ll re-examine what we’re doing. … We’re just going to keep plowing ahead.”
The Terps’ starting lineup included four seniors – Walters, Ritz, Healy and McGlone – all on the offensive side of the field.
Next season, the Terps will be experienced on defense. Third team All-American defender Ray Megill, second team All-American defender Steve Whittenberg and honorable mention All-American goalie Harry Alford will be seniors and the defense won’t lose any starters.
Since re-claiming his starting job in the Terps’ biggest regular season win against archrival Johns Hopkins, Alford played up to his expectations as one of the top goalkeepers in the nation. Cottle praised Alford for his 10-save performance in the final four even as the offense sputtered.
“Our goalie was outstanding,” Cottle said. “He really grew up today as a player and as a person.”
Alford, who fell to his knees 20 yards beyond his net as the Minutemen celebrated, showed growth and perspective when speaking about his teammates who played their last game as Terps.
“I felt very bad for our seniors. – They worked their butts off for four years. It’s a horrible note to go off on,” Alford said. “They really put their heart and soul into this team.”
In the locker room, McGlone talked about learning from mistakes and taking advantage of opportunities. Xander Ritz said it was best for the responsibility to fall on the shoulders of the seniors. Walters repeatedly apologized because he was unable to come up with answers to how it all unfolded and how the Terps’ season ended.
“It’s over,” Walters said, gathering his thoughts. “It’s a shame to end like this.”
Contact reporter Stephen Whyno at whynodbk@gmail.com
