The Maryland men’s lacrosse team scored seven times in the first 15 minutes Saturday against No. 19 Michigan, the Terps’ highest total in an opening frame since April 4, 2015.

But because coach John Tillman preaches complete performances, the Terps remained focused on their game plan as their lead expanded.

After gaining the early advantage, No. 8 Maryland stifled Michigan’s offense while freshman Jared Bernhardt exploited a matchup with the Wolverines’ short-stick midfielders. Tillman acknowledged the display wasn’t flawless, noting late-game mistakes, but he was “proud” of the overall effort.

“Having the offense get out to such a good start … it’s always great,” goalkeeper Dan Morris said. “But we try to stay as alert as possible, and we know especially with a team like Michigan that they have a great offense and they’ll get going eventually.”

With a 7-2 lead following the first quarter, Maryland kept control, holding Michigan to six scores for the remainder of the contest. As the defense delivered, the Terps’ attack built on its opening explosiveness with eight more goals.

Six Terps recorded points in the first period, stretching Michigan’s defense early. After the game, Wolverines coach John Paul admitted few programs can combat such a comprehensive approach.

“They’re in the final four every year, so it’s created problems for a lot of teams,” Paul said. “They don’t really have weak spots. There is a lot of balance.”

Maryland’s abundance of attacking options forced Michigan to place short-stick midfielders on Bernhardt. While the Wolverines defenders focused on veteran threats, the first-year starter capitalized, scoring two goals after the first quarter to help the Terps maintain their comfortable advantage. He tied his season high with four points.

Bernhardt was the nation’s No. 3 recruit at Lake Brantley High School in Longwood, Florida. He tallied 434 career points there, so he’s been surprised to receive room to attack through his first eight college games.

“I was trying to press my matchup,” Bernhardt said. “I was getting short-sticked. Obviously in high school it was different, so [I wanted to] come out there and be a little more aggressive. Try to make them slide and make them play me. It just worked out.”

After Maryland cruised to victory, Tillman praised Bernhardt’s performance. He also complimented the Terps for committing just 11 turnovers, their cleanest showing in more than a month.

Still, the coach pointed to momentary lapses that might cost the team later in the season.

Tillman recalled in his postgame press conference how Michigan caught Maryland off guard with a quick inbound, leading to a first-quarter goal. He then lamented a slight dip in concentration once the Terps pulled away.

Those lulls, he said, represent what Maryland is “going to have to improve upon” in the near future. With five regular-season games left and a showdown with No. 1 Penn State next weekend, he urged his team to focus.

“[We] talked about this becoming April,” Tillman said. “It’s go time.”