Freshman attackman Maxwell Ritz has filled in well for the Terps’ struggling offensive stars. He has six goals in three games and has provided an inside threat.

With the Terrapin men’s lacrosse team searching for anyone to rescue it from the depths of shooting purgatory, freshman attackman Maxwell Ritz was there.

When the Terps trailed Virginia 3-1 and seemed on the brink of yet another rout, Ritz was there.

He was there when his older brother missed a wide-open breakaway shot.

Against Duke, Ritz was there when nobody else was; when passes sailed wide or ground balls rolled innocently just outside the crease.

Most important, Ritz was there when it mattered most.

In his first career start, Ritz scored the game-winning overtime goal against Virginia Friday night when a bounce shot by junior midfielder Bill McGlone ricocheted high into the air. He leapt high above his defender and with both hands on the base of his stick, and swatted the ball from directly over his head back down into the net. Even he didn’t know how he got that high.

“I was very fortunate to go out there today and even more fortunate to get the ball in a place like that,” Ritz said. “I just put my stick up and wasn’t expecting much on the rebound, I just pretty much got lucky.  Everyone was looking at the goalie and I was looking at the ball so I kind of got a better jump on it than other kids. But I don’t have a better vertical than other kids so I was very fortunate to put it in.”

Although Ritz claimed he is just a “role player” in the Terps’ offense, with six goals in the past three games, he has turned into more than that. With the Terps’ most-lethal threats subdued for the majority of the season, and with no inside presence, Ritz has brought energy and hustle to a once downtrodden unit.

Most of the Terps’ big guns are solid outside shooters, such as junior attackman Joe Walters. Ritz has found a niche squirming into the middle and converting on quick inside looks. He doesn’t always have to finesse his way in either. Against Fairfield April 23, he scored two goals, one of which was in traffic. Ritz also notched two goals against Duke, picking up errant balls or passes and converting.

“It just shows the character of the team,” said senior midfielder Andrew Schwartzman, another once reserve who has elevated his game recently. “All season we’ve relied heavily on the superstars and when they’ve played poorly, other guys have stepped up. Maybe they haven’t scored goals or gotten big assists or saves, but guys have made a big play on defense or picked up a tough ground ball. And it has really represented the team well that somebody that isn’t expected to come up big in big games really steps it up.”

Ritz took it a step further. With the Terps down 3-1 to Virginia in the second quarter, Ritz took a transitional pass on the left side and ripped a deep shot past Cavalier goalie Kip Turner. The Terps had new life in what seemed to be a quickly fleeting game.

“I think that’s one of those shots where coach is like, ‘don’t shoot it’ and then it goes in and he’s like ‘good shot, good shot,’” said Ritz’s brother, junior midfielder Xander Ritz. “We were just trying to get possessions and it was the first shot we had. But he’s just out there playing and scoring where as the older guys are probably thinking a little bit more.”

Xander did a little too much thinking later in the game. With the Terps down 7-5, he caused a defensive turnover and then sprinted toward the goal for a 1-on-1 with Turner. But Xander’s shot missed, as did the Terps’ golden chance to swing the momentum. The missed opportunity could have proven costly in such a close game — had it not been for Maxwell’s game-winner.

“I’ve looked up to him for a long time. I’d love to emulate how he plays,” Maxwell said. “I always support him and on the missed shot on the breakaway, I was like ‘it doesn’t matter. We’ll get it back.’”

Maxwell’s goal two minutes, 40 seconds into overtime was by far the biggest shot of the Terps’ season. In a game that finally gave the Terps the confidence they needed to eventually upset No. 1-seeded and No. 2-ranked Duke on Sunday, it was the defining moment.

“This is why I transferred, to play with him,” said Delaware transfer Xander. “I was just so happy that he got a chance to start tonight. … For him not only to have two goals in an 8-7 game is … I don’t know, it was just awesome. I don’t know what else to say.”