Jay Carlson
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The Terrapins men’s lacrosse players jogged onto Klockner Stadium field Saturday itching to prove their stagnant performance in a 10-8 loss to then-No. 12 North Carolina a week earlier was an aberration.
They didn’t think the deficiencies North Carolina exposed should define them. The No. 2 Terps felt the overwhelming energy and offensive balance they displayed in the season’s first six games more aptly characterized their team.
The motivated crew validated that belief Saturday. The Terps didn’t play their most dominating game of the year, but they recaptured their enthusiastic effort from earlier this season in a 9-7 victory at No. 15 Virginia. Their pressure consistently forced the Cavaliers out of their comfort zone, and three different players tallied multiple goals to help the squad escape Charlottesville with a wire-to-wire win.
The Terps (7-1, 2-1 ACC) weren’t perfect. They notched their second-lowest goal total of the year and made some untimely errors that allowed the Cavaliers (5-5, 0-1) to mount a late comeback. But unlike a week earlier, the team’s passion and experience was enough to overcome its struggles.
“I thought our guys played really hard. Our effort was outstanding,” Tillman said. “Our execution needs to be cleaned up, our decision making needs to get better. But I’ll certainly not question the heart and the effort and the toughness our kids showed.”
Tillman’s squad didn’t take long to turn up the pressure Saturday. Midfielder Mike Chanenchuk fired a 20-foot shot past Virginia goalkeeper Rhody Heller a little more than 30 seconds into the game to give the Terps a quick 1-0 lead.
Long pole Jesse Bernhardt, primarily a defensive player, notched his first of two goals a minute later and attackman Jay Carlson scored to give the Terps a 3-0 edge less than seven minutes into the game.
From that point on, the rivals seemed rather evenly matched as intensity escalated throughout the contest. But the Terps received a stellar 14-save effort from goalie Niko Amato to keep the Cavaliers at least two goals behind the entire way. Amato’s most crucial save all but clinched the victory, as he used the toe of his shoe to stop a rocket out of midfielder Ryan Tucker’s stick with 47 seconds left.
“He was really dialed in,” Tillman said of Amato, who struggled against the Tar Heels last week. “I was really pleased with how he bounced back.”
Virginia’s best chance at a comeback came in the third quarter. Tucker scored to cut the Terps’ lead to 5-3 early in the frame and the Cavaliers had a few opportunities to bring the lead to within one goal on their next two possessions.
Amato stopped a shot and Virginia missed a few, but they were consistently threatening.
When the Terps got hold of the ball, though, midfielder John Haus helped them take momentum. The senior muscled his way near the crease and found the back of the net six minutes into the third quarter. He scored again on a dish from Jake Bernhardt several minutes later to stretch his team’s lead back to four goals.
“We just continue to fight no matter what the score is, we could be up three or down three,” Haus said. “Anytime we score a goal it’s big for the team.”
And with less than 30 seconds remaining in the third frame, Chanenchuk hit Carlson with a pass in front of Virginia’s net. Carlson jumped to receive the pass with his back turned to the goal, but as he caught the ball he whipped a no-look shot around his head. The lively Virginia crowd fell silent as the ball whizzed past Heller.
Carlson’s spectacular goal was fitting. The husky attackman finished with three goals, marking his second hat trick in the last three contests.
“We were moving the ball fast,” Carlson said with a chuckle. “I was able to cut to the inside and score some goals.”
Late in the fourth quarter, the Terps coughed up the ball twice and attackman Kevin Cooper had an open-net shot stopped. Virginia took advantage, notching a two-goal spurt to shrink the Terps’ lead to 9-7 with under two minutes to play. But thanks to Amato’s kick save, that score would hold as the final.
The win was vital to the Terps. It displayed their ability to bounce back from a loss and because No. 1 Notre Dame lost Saturday, the Terps will likely regain the top spot in the national rankings.
But beating the Cavaliers is bigger than that. The Terps hadn’t outduelded their border state rival in Klockner Stadium since 2003, a stretch that includes a seven-overtime loss in 2009. And the memory of the Terps’ 9-7 loss to the Cavaliers in the 2011 NCAA championship game still lingers.
The game’s significance wasn’t lost on the Terps. They were out to simply prove they could get back on track Saturday, but Haus knew they accomplished a bit more.
“It means a lot,” Haus said. “Not only for the 48 or 50 guys on this team and the coaching staff, but it means a lot for everyone that’s been through this program and everyone that will come through this program.”
sportsdbk@gmail.com
