Attacker Alex Aust takes a shot in the national championship game against North Carolina on May 27.
VILLANOVA, Pa. — In a flawless run during which everything seemed to go its way, the Terrapins women’s lacrosse team came up short when it mattered most on the biggest stage.
After more than 70 minutes of riveting, fast-paced theater in the NCAA championship, midfielder Brooke Griffin had an opportunity to deliver the Terps’ 11th national championship with a point-blank opportunity early in the third overtime period. But her shot caromed off Tar Heels goalkeeper Megan Ward’s stick, and then Ward desperately fell to the ground and covered the ball.
Before the second-largest crowd to ever watch the women’s lacrosse championship game, the freshman netminder sailed a pass to midfielder Brittney Coppa, who eluded several Terps defenders in the midfield. Coppa found midfielder Sammy Jo Tracy wide open in front of the net, and Tracy netted the game-clinching score past Terps goalkeeper Kasey Howard.
“It literally all feels like a dream,” Coppa said. “To see that ball go into the back of the net is something I’ve dreamt about since my dad put a stick in my hands.”
After rolling into the NCAA final unbeaten, the top-seeded Terps fell to No. 3-seed North Carolina, 13-12, in the longest championship game in history before 9,391 at Villanova Stadium.
“It definitely stings,” freshman midfielder Taylor Cummings said. “It just didn’t fall our way this time.”
Tracy’s tally didn’t come without several missed opportunities, though. The Tar Heels took six shots in overtime before she finally found the back of the net.
Howard saved four of those shots. The senior — playing in her first NCAA final — delivered a subpar performance in regulation. She recorded just one save, which didn’t come until after the Tar Heels had netted seven scores.
“We weren’t giving Kasey any chance to make any saves,” coach Cathy Reese said. “We didn’t play particularly great defense in the first half.”
The Tar Heels put pressure on the Terps defense early, netting the contest’s first three goals less than five minutes into the game.
The Terps (22-1) dominated in the draw circle in the first half, 12-4, but they were unable to turn those opportunities into scores. The Tar Heels (18-3), who held Northwestern to just four goals in the semifinals, stymied the Terps with physical play.
The energetic play almost hurt the Tar Heels at some points. Star midfielder Kara Cannizzaro received a yellow card after slashing midfielder Beth Glaros in the face early in the game.
As time expired in the half, North Carolina winged a last-ditch effort across the field, and it crashed into defender Iliana Sanza’s face. The senior received stitches during halftime.
The Terps scored the second half’s first goal. They won the next four draw controls and turned the opportunities into goals to take an 11-9 lead with 19:55 left.
The squads exchanged blows for the rest of the period. It looked like the Terps would pull away with their third victory of the season against the Tar Heels, but Cannizzaro netted two goals to give North Carolina a 12-11 lead with nine minutes left.
With 3:51 remaining, though, attacker Alex Aust fired a shot past Ward that sent the game into overtime.
Coppa (three goals, one assist) recovered the opening draw control in the extra period and nearly put her team ahead after sprinting down the field. Howard stopped her and kept the game tied.
The Terps had several opportunities to go ahead in the first overtime.
They came up short on a free position shot as Ward stopped Glaros’ opportunity and Cummings (three goals, one assist) passed out of what looked like a clear lane to the net.
Glaros (two goals) had one more open look before time expired, but Ward stopped her and sent the contest into sudden-victory overtime.
“There was a lot of pressure,” Ward said. “But I knew that if I made the save, our attack could go down and score.”
More chaotic play reigned in the second overtime, with the national championship on the line.
At one juncture, the Terps forced a turnover but couldn’t maintain possession against the swarming Tar Heels defense. But as the teams battled for the ground ball, Griffin (two goals, three assists) suddenly swooped in to recover the ball.
Later in the period, Cannizzaro eluded two Terps defenders to get an open look at Howard, but the senior stopped her opportunity. Then, as time expired in the period, North Carolina’s All-American got another opportunity, but her shot flew wide.
Finally, after three overtimes, 72 minutes, 51 shots and 49 fouls, the longest NCAA final in history came to a close when Tracy’s shot zipped past Howard.
An accolade-laden senior class featuring Aust and midfielder Katie Schwarzmann — two Tewaaraton Award finalists — had stepped onto the field to begin warm-ups hoping to go out with a national championship, just as it did three years ago.
But following the seniors’ fourth collegiate lacrosse season, the Terps stood inside the press room not celebrating but lamenting what could have been.
“I think this team that we had was one of the best,” Reese said. “You wanted to see them have this last opportunity, this last award. … But someone’s got to win, and someone’s got to lose.”
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