NCAA lacrosse: Maryland, Johns Hopkins earn Final Four berths
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The Championship Weekend foursome is set as the lacrosse world turns its attention to Philadelphia. The quartet features a pair of fierce in-state rivals from one of the sport's traditional hotbeds who have long battled each other for titles. They'll be joined by two more recent powers who have carved niches for themselves away from the east coast, both seeking their first national crown.
Playing close to home proved beneficial for Johns Hopkins and Maryland on Sunday in quarterfinal contests in Annapolis.
The Blue Jays, unseeded in this year's tournament but playing well down the stretch, staved off a late rally to upend second-seeded Syracuse 16-15. It was a huge day for the Stanwick brothers, senior Wells and freshman Shack, who each recorded four goals and two assists for the Blue Jays, and Eric Schneider made 15 saves to keep the high-powered Orange attack in check. Kevin Rice paced Syracuse with seven points on three goals and four assists, but the Orange?s efforts to erase a four-goal deficit in the final four minutes came up short.
The sixth-seeded Terrapins left little room for their opponents to rally in the second game in Annapolis, scoring 13 of the first 15 goals of the game and cruising to a 14-7 triumph against No. 3 North Carolina. Bryan Cole had a career-high four goals and added an assist for Maryland, while Charlie Raffa won 12 of 19 face-offs making it difficult for the Tar Heels to sustain any offensive pressure.
On Saturday in Denver, top-seeded Notre Dame advanced to the Final Four for the second consecutive year, once again at the expense of Albany.
The Fighting Irish overcame a lengthy lightning delay and a big third quarter by the Great Danes for a 14-10 win. After Albany outscored Notre Dame 5-0 in the third to take a 9-8 lead, the Irish mounted a five-goal run of their own in the fourth. Sergio Perkovic had four goals and Conor Doyle added three for Notre Dame. Albany's Conor Fields fired in six goals, but Lyle Thompson, who became the NCAA?s all-time points leader earlier in the season, was held to a single goal with four assists in his final collegiate game.
The following game made the Denver crowd happy, however, as Denver University secured a return trip to Championship Weekend with a 15-13 triumph against Ohio State. The fourth-seeded Pioneers fell into an early 7-1 hole against the Buckeyes but then seized the momentum by scoring the next nine goals. Tewaaraton Award finalist Wesley Berg tallied six times and Denver goalie Ryan Laplante overcame a shaky start to record 13 stops.