When Johns Hopkins scored its first goal against the Maryland men’s lacrosse team with around nine minutes left in the second quarter Saturday night, the Blue Jays reacted with subdued hugs.
That’s because the Terps held an 8-0 lead before the goal, marking their longest scoring run to begin a game this year. The early offensive explosion propelled them to a 12-5 victory and third-straight Big Ten regular-season title.
“We got off to a great start,” coach John Tillman said. “We [went] 6-of-8 shooting in the first quarter … and from there, we just kept playing fast.”
During the initial eight-goal onslaught, midfielder Connor Kelly registered four scores and attackman Matt Rambo delivered four assists. Kelly finished with four goals, while Rambo recorded three goals and four assists.
With his second strike, Rambo broke the program’s all-time points scoring mark, passing Bob Boneillo’s previous record of 231 set in 1980. The senior’s notched a point in 52 consecutive games.
“[The record] shows Matt’s been doing a good job for all four years and been very consistent,” Tillman said. “But I think part of what makes this program successful is that people don’t talk about or focus on records.”
While Maryland (10-3, 4-1 Big Ten) dominated the first half, entering intermission with a 9-1 advantage, it exchanged physical blows with its longtime rival. The teams combined for three first half penalties and six total violations.
Fewer than four minutes into the contest, defender Bryce Young shoved Blue Jays attackman Kyle Marr, who was already on the ground, and received an unnecessary roughness penalty.
Later in the opening period, Johns Hopkins defender Trevor Koelsch knocked Rambo over after he unleashed a left-handed shot from the right wing. When the effort hit the back of the net despite the unsportsmanlike conduct violation, Rambo leapt to his feet and pumped his fist.
The Terps continued to display intensity in the second half despite their commanding lead over the Blue Jays (8-5, 3-2). In the third quarter, after Rambo spun past a defender and converted an off-hand shot, he thrust his hands in the air and used his fingers to gesture his teammates over to celebrate.
Defensive midfielder Isaiah Davis-Allen said the spark Maryland showed late in the game “started with the fans” and the energy of players on the sideline, who kept the starters motivated.
In the fourth quarter, the majority of the 14,353 fans at Maryland Stadium — the most for a regular season bout since 1989 — remained in their seats even as the Terps maintained their large advantage. With four minutes remaining, they roared as Young picked up a ground ball on the run and sprinted between two charging Blue Jays midfielders, causing them to lose their footing.
“That crowd was awesome today,” Rambo said. “They gave us a lot of energy.”
Faceoff specialist Jon Garino Jr. tossed the ball into air as time expired, and the noise from the crowd rose again. Moments later, the Terps on the sideline stormed the field to celebrate the victory.
Though Maryland holds ambitions beyond the regular season conference championship, Tillman acknowledged the satisfaction of earning their third-straight crown.
“Given the ups and downs through the year,” Tillman said, “to see them plugging away and keep working is just great to see.”
