For the second straight week, No. 6 Maryland men’s lacrosse trailed at halftime. The Terps needed a strong second half against No. 2 Syracuse to secure a victory.
Coach John Tillman’s squad did what it’s done for years — flip the script on an elite opponent.
Maryland outscored the Orange by five after the break in its 11-7 win on Saturday. The Terps showed their ability to adjust mid-game for their third top-five win in the past two seasons.
“That was kind of the thing with us is, ‘Hey, you got the No. 2 team in the country, it’s a one-goal game,’” Tillman said. “You’re actually in a much better spot than you were last week, right? It’s basically whoever wins the second half is going to win.”
The Terps’ defense recovered from a disastrous end to the opening half, allowing just two Syracuse scores the rest of the way.
Junior Joey Spallina scored two unassisted goals late in the first half to give the Orange a slim lead. Those were the attacker’s only scores as the Terps’ defenders swarmed the ball in the second half while still clogging passing lanes with high sticks.
[No. 6 Maryland remains undefeated with 11-7 home win over No. 2 Syracuse]
Stopping Spallina, the 2023 ACC Freshman of the Year, is a positive sign for Maryland’s chances against the stars it will inevitably face.
Maryland’s defense faced myriad questions entering the season, largely due to the departure of All-American Ajax Zappitello. But with veterans like Will Schaller, Colin Burlace and Jackson Canfield returning to anchor the unit, it has proved capable of shutting down one of the NCAA’s best offenses.
Having goalkeeper Logan McNaney healthy is another major boost.
The graduate student saved more than 63 percent of the Orange’s shots. He anticipated better in the latter half, allowing just two scores against a team that entered Saturday with a plus-16 second-half point differential.
“It’s hard being out for 10 months for an ACL injury. I was in quite a bit of pain last year, to be honest, but I feel like I had a little bit of a down year,” McNaney said. “But I feel great right now, going to try and keep doing what I’m doing and looking forward to doing it.”
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McNaney was under less duress in the second half when Syracuse only had seven shots on goal. The Terps’ offense dominated time of possession against a squad that entered with a country-leading mark of plus-25, according to Lacrosse Reference.
Against Loyola the week prior, Maryland rallied through quick possessions with rapid ball movement. The Terps held the ball longer against Syracuse, looking for more one-on-one maneuvers against a defense that entered allowing the third-fewest goals per game in the country.
Maryland’s offense has shown multiple ways to bend a defense the past two weeks.
Eight players found the net on Saturday, a crucial development for a team without a clear top scoring option. Through efficient ball-handling, Maryland also halted its turnover issues, recording only four in the final half.
For one half, Maryland appeared to be in serious trouble against a top opponent. But with a strong performance in all facets the rest of the game, the Terps proved they can still compete with the best teams.
“We know what we have in our locker room and we know what we’re capable of,” senior attacker Eric Spanos said. “It was definitely a good win, but we expected the outcome.”
