Some of the lessons Terrapin women’s lacrosse coach Cindy Timchal learns come from places all around the world of sports.
In one of the most recent examples, Timchal said she learned about overcoming adversity during a speech that Florida Gators coach Billy Donovan gave to his team before they won the men’s basketball national championship.
But this weekend the Terps’ coach plans to use a trick from a face closer to home to try and buy into the ultimate goal of winning a championship.
Coming off a disheartening loss in a close conference game last weekend, Timchal decided that when her team goes to Boston this weekend, she will duplicate a strategy used by women’s basketball coach Brenda Frese.
In January, when the women’s basketball team traveled to play Boston College, Frese took her team to the TD Banknorth Garden to get a feel for where the final four would be played. Frese made it clear to her team that the goal was to get back to Boston – which her team did, eventually winning a national championship.
For Timchal, it will be a trip to Boston University – where the women’s lacrosse championship will be held – with the hope of the same results Frese got.
“I am pumped to go up there, and it would be even better to be up there to play for a national championship,” sophomore goalie Allie Buote said. “It’s definitely an incentive and it’s definitely something to think about.”
At the end of Tuesday’s practice Timchal told the No. 6-ranked Terps when they play Boston College Saturday they need to play like they want to come back.
“It is a good incentive basically,” junior attacker Krista Pellizzi said. “You want to get back here, so play hard now so you could get back here.”
For the Terps, this idea of using Boston to get to Boston is going to be a big part of their success from here on out.
A win Saturday against unranked Boston College would lead to another game against the Eagles next week in the first round of the ACC tournament. A good showing is something the Terps (10-5, 1-3 ACC) say they need as the NCAA tournament is within their sight.
A double-dip of wins against the Eagles (8-6, 1-3) – one to start ACC play and one to start tournament play – after a gut-wrenching loss last week, would be a boost before the NCAA tournament.
But using the Boston vibe does not end with these two games.
Fitting enough, the Terps’ leading goal scorer senior midfielder Delia Cox is the only native on the team from the Boston area. She just made the most recent cut for the Tewaaraton Trophy and last week it was evident how valuable she is to the Terps – after she received a red card, her teammates struggled.
Cox said that a trip to her Boston home wouldn’t do as much to motivate her – because she is so used to her hometown – but she thinks it could do something for her teammates.
“For all of the other girls it will give them a chance to see what we could come back to,” Cox said. “But for me it just gives me another chance to go back home.”
And with Timchal’s trick in mind, maybe when the Terps are having dinner Friday night with Cox’s family, some of the conversation around the table will be that they hope they could come back for seconds.
“The basketball team did that and they won a national championship,” Buote said. “Hey, maybe it will work for us, too.”
Terps vs. Boston College
Where: Newton Campus Field
When: Saturday, 1 p.m.
Contact reporter Bryan Mann at bmanndbk@gmail.com.
