Junior midfielder Bill McGlone posted a hat trick in the Terrapin men’s lacrosse team’s 9-5 win over Towson. The Terps face Bucknell tomorrow.
TOWSON — The Terrapin men’s lacrosse team entered the season with visions of the offense carrying the young defense and the game’s possession for at least the beginning of the year.
What ensued was a defensive statement in their opening win over Georgetown and offensive ineptness in a loss to Duke.
Saturday against Towson, the offense finally took command of the game despite poor shooting, leading to a decisive 9-5 win in front of 3,874 spectators at Johnny Unitas Stadium.
After losing at home to Duke a week ago, Terp head coach Dave Cottle said the No. 6-ranked Terps were the underdogs against the previously undefeated No. 9 Tigers. Instead, the Terps won their 12th straight game at Towson — a place where they have never lost.
“To open up with Georgetown, Duke and Towson for a young team was a daunting task,” Cottle said. “We hoped to be 2-1 at the worst. This is a big win to win at Towson.”
The Terps (2-1) won just about every significant statistical category. They had 45 shots compared to only 27 from Towson, picked up 44 ground balls compared to 28 for the Tigers, and had nine fewer turnovers.
Junior midfielder Bill McGlone tallied a hat trick, sophomore attackman Michael Phipps notched a goal and three assists, junior attackman Joe Walters had two goals and an assist and junior attackman Xander Ritz had two goals and two assists to lead the Terp attack.
The Terp defense, which was constantly changing its formation, played its most physical game of the season, forcing shooters away from the crease as the game went on.
“The combination of playing a lot of defenses and playing younger players usually doesn’t go very well together,” Cottle said. “But our kids picked it up and did a good job today.”
Tied 3-3 in the second quarter, the Terps went on a three-goal run. The Tigers charged back, scoring with 11 seconds left in the third quarter — their first goal in 27 minutes and 38 seconds — and again about three minutes into the fourth to bring the game to 6-5.
Towson (3-1) was making their charge and the Terps’ shooting was again becoming erratic. Overall, the Terps’ shooting percentage (20 percent) was well below their target 33 percent.
But despite the shooting difficulties, the Terp offense was patient in passing and eventually found open looks. It possessed the ball for the large majority of the second half.
Junior faceoff specialist David Tamberrino won three consecutive faceoffs and Ritz made a difficult shot from the right to make it 7-5. Less than a minute later, Ritz found McGlone streaking unmarked to the net for a decisive goal and an 8-5 lead.
“I was thinking about last year when they came back from 8-1,” Ritz said. “Something had to break the ice because we weren’t scoring from anywhere.”
The Terps travel to Bucknell tomorrow to face the Bison. Bucknell (2-1) upset No. 2 Navy Saturday, 8-7, in overtime.
