HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. — Maryland men’s lacrosse entered the fourth quarter down by two goals, 15 minutes away from its season ending — but the Terps excelled in their most important stretch of the year.
Three straight goals over the first five minutes of the period gave Maryland its first lead against Duke. Then the Blue Devils responded, scoring two of the next three goals to tie the game.
With five minutes left, Zach Whittier ran around the back of the cage and found Daniel Maltz open across the field. The Terps’ leading scorer fired a rocket into the back of the net.
No. 7 seed Maryland had its game-winning goal. It remarkably overcame a four-goal deficit to upset No. 2 seed Duke, 14-11, in the NCAA tournament quarterfinals on Saturday. The Terps outscored the Blue Devils by five in the final quarter to secure the win and advance to the Final Four.
“When we got down, no one panicked,” coach John Tillman said.
Maryland’s seven–goal fourth period tied its highest scoring total in a quarter this season, matching the second-quarter output in its first round victory over Princeton last week.
Five different Terps struck in the span to double their score. Maltz and Ryan Siracusa each notched hat tricks.
[Maryland men’s lacrosse coasts to first round NCAA tournament win over Princeton, 16-8]
Luke Wierman dominated the X in the second half, winning 11 of 14 faceoffs to aid the comeback. He scored two goals in the first half to help an otherwise lethargic unit — the first snapped a scoring drought of over 10 minutes to start the game.
Maltz and Siracusa were the lone other Terps to score in the first two quarters, including two in a 33-second span early in the second. The duo continued their strong seasons as Siracusa added to his career-best goal tally while Maltz matched last year’s output.
The Terps’ explosive fourth period was carried over from the third. They scored goals inside the final and first two minutes of the respective frames, trimming Duke’s lead to one for the first time since the opening goal.
A Jack Koras low-angled shot to the right of goalkeeper Patrick Jameison tied the game at nine. A pair of Braden Erksa goals — his first in over a month — sandwiched around two Duke scores set up Maltz’s game-winning strike.
“We were just stressing with the guys in the huddle, everybody take a deep breath, this game is far from over,” Wierman said.
Dyson Williams and Brenan O’Neill, who both entered the weekend top-five nationally in goals, starred with a combined six goals over the first two quarters to help Duke lead 8-5 at halftime.
[Maryland men’s lacrosse looks to avoid another early NCAA tournament exit]
Williams added two more scorers for a season-high six goals and O’Neill tallied another in the second half, but the Terps’ strong defense against the rest of the Blue Devils’ offense proved pivotal.
A mistake from goalkeeper Logan McNaney on an unsuccessful clear — throwing a pass directly toward Duke’s Aidan Maguire — led to an easy transition goal for Williams that pushed Duke back up by three late in the third.
But Maryland followed with its four-goal run.
While Williams and O’Neill shined, Ajax Zappitello shut down Josh Zawada. Zawada entered the contest with the second-most points of any Blue Devil, but was scoreless on one shot while assisting on just one Duke score.
McNaney’s average first quarter — saving five shots despite Duke’s five goals — helped Maryland avoid an insurmountable deficit. His strong final frame, with three saves and just two goals allowed, helped the Terps secure the victory.
Maryland’s win advanced it to the Final Four for the third time in the past four seasons. It faces the winner of No. 6 seed Virginia and No. 3 seed Johns Hopkins in Philadelphia next Saturday.
“It’s you’re last go around,” Zappitello said. “I think it just gives you a greater perspective for everything,”
