Maryland men’s lacrosse boasts the best Big Ten record since joining in 2015, with only 13 conference losses in that span.
But four of those defeats have come consecutively against one school — Michigan.
The Wolverines earned their fourth straight victory against then-No. 1 Maryland on Saturday with an 11-10 win, marking the most goals the Terps have given up all season. Maryland dropped to No. 2 in Inside Lacrosse’s rankings after the loss.
The Wolverines were able to create open looks against a Terps defense that allows the third fewest goals a game in the country. Maryland credited Michigan’s offensive scheme for the success.
“[Michigan assistant coach Scott] Bieda does a good job with their pick play, they’re super organized and they play together well,” junior defender Will Schaller said. “The man at the helm doesn’t change for them and he works with what he has well, so gotta tip your cap to them for having a good plan.”
[No. 1 Maryland men’s lacrosse suffers heartbreaking 11-10 triple overtime loss to Michigan]
Tillman said Bieda’s strategy — which centers around working deep into the shot clock to shorten the game and patiently work toward attacking opportunities — has been the biggest difference in the last four meetings.It was prevalent in Saturday’s game as Maryland’s defense struggled to communicate.
The Wolverines caught defenders off-guard with subtle off-ball screening, leading to switching problems for the Terps that allowed free attackers near the crease. Maryland sent on-ball help when players faced unfavorable matchups, but Michigan usually took advantage with quick passes to cutters.
That’s how the Wolverines sealed the victory in triple overtime on their first shot of the period.
Michigan midfielder Emmett Houlihan held the ball and danced around the side of the cage, causing his defender to fall. Another Maryland defender sprinted over, rotating to avoid giving up a clear look from the outside. Houlihan immediately recognized the help and dished to attacker Nick Roode for a goal just outside the crease.
“I definitely got to clean some of that stuff up, some of the off-ball lapses we had,” Schaller said. “Those are things that we’d want to work on that are there even when we do win.”
The Wolverines were also strategic with their movement — or lack thereof.
Michigan players stood in areas for extended spans of time, creating a false sense of security for Maryland defenders. As a result, The Terps often lost track of the field and allowed uncovered looks.
[No. 1 Maryland men’s lacrosse starts, ends hot in 12-6 win over No. 18 Virginia]
“Most of the possessions were really long and it does grind you down,” Coach John Tillman said. “Defensively, you just gotta be really on point, communicate and [have] no breakdowns.”
Goalkeeper Logan McNaney has often bailed out the Terps’ defense when opponents find space near the circle. That wasn’t the case against Michigan.
The graduate student tied his season-low in saves with 10, marking the first time all year where he had more goals allowed than saves made. While the All-American’s anticipation fell below his standard, it’s hard to fault him when the majority of the Wolverines’ 21 shots on goal were uncontested.
Maryland saw its vulnerability when McNaney wasn’t covering up defensive mishaps. The Terps hope their struggles against Michigan serve as a wake-up call ahead of a grueling stretch of Big Ten matchups.
