The Terps got out to a wicked-fast start in last year’s matchup between Maryland and Albany, finding themselves up 11-0 at the end of the first quarter.
This go around was different.
The Great Danes led 2-1 as the first quarter clock approached two minutes, but then the Terps took over.
Braden Erksa wrapped around the back of the cage and sent a Jack Brennan feed into the top of the net, and Daniel Maltz received a Jack Koras pass on the run before firing a rifle from about five yards out past Jack VanValkenburgh, giving the Terps a 3-2 lead at the end of the opening frame.
No. 4 Maryland men’s lacrosse (4-2) never led by less than two from that point on, using three separate hat tricks from Maltz, Erksa and Koras to defeat Albany (1-4) on Saturday, 16-9.
“I was proud of the way the guys approached the week,” coach John Tillman said. “It’s never easy to go on the road and get a win.”
After two missed shots on the opening possession, the Great Danes converted on their third with a Jack Pucci score just over the head of Terps freshman goalkeeper Brian Ruppel to open the scoring.
Maltz responded two minutes later just in front of the crease on a beautiful find from sophomore Zach Whittier as the attackers were in sync, but a Brennan turnover following the ensuing faceoff led to a Declan Palandjian strike from about nine yards out to put Albany back in front, 2-1, just over five minutes in.
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After nearly an eight-minute long combined scoring drought, Erksa found the back of the net for the first time since Maryland’s season-opener. The freshman wrapped around the back of the cage before firing a shot into the upper corner of the net, tying the score at two.
“We kind of felt like it was going to be a little bit of a boxing match,” Tillman said.
Maltz scored less than a minute later, notching his fourth multi-goal game of the season, giving the Terps a 3-2 lead entering the second quarter and sparking a run.
A man-up score from Koras and a Daniel Kelly goal from five yards out put the Terps up three at the 12:55 mark of the second frame. Maltz notched the 13th hat trick of his career on a 12-yard strike into the top of the net less than four minutes later to cap off a 5-0 run.
Albany’s Alex Pfeiffer ended Maryland’s scoring run on a low-angled shot into the upper corner of the cage about halfway through the second quarter. Graydon Hogg connected less than two minutes later to bring the Great Danes within two.
But Erksa brought Maryland’s lead back to three less than a minute later. He scooped up a loose ball and quickly fired a shot into an open net with VanValkenburgh out in front of the cage, giving Maryland a 7-4 lead at the 5:18 mark.
Hogg scored for the second time as he corralled a deflected shot past Ruppel with just 54 seconds left before the break. The remaining seconds went by without a goal, and Maryland held a slim 7-5 lead at halftime.
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Koras scored for the second time of the day less than three minutes into the second half, and Whittier scored for the second time in his young career with just one second left on the shot clock to put the Terps up four at the 10:33 mark of the third quarter.
“That was a big one for us,” Tillman said.
Palandjian and Pucci both connected on their second goals of the day shortly after, bringing the Great Danes back within two once again at 9-7.
But Erksa scored over the head of VanValkenburgh two minutes later for his first career hat trick, giving Maryland its fifth three-goal lead of the day. Koras joined the hat trick parade shortly after, notching the third of his career.
Maryland struck one more time in the quarter on Maltz’ fourth of the game with nine seconds left, giving the Terps a comfortable 12-7 advantage entering the final quarter.
TJ Sheehan got the fourth quarter scoring started with a close-range goal but Erksa responded with his fourth of the day less than two minutes later. Owen Murphy added his first goal of the day at the 9:58 mark, pushing Maryland’s lead to six.
Sophomore midfielder Dante Trader and Pucci traded goals in a minute span of one another midway through the quarter, keeping the Terps in front by six.
A goal from senior midfielder Kyle Long at the 3:43 mark was the final score of the day, as the Terps defeated the Great Danes in New York to get back in the win column.
