Maryland

Maryland women’s lacrosse is flexible in its free position strategy

Published

2 years ago

March 8, 2024

Maryland women’s lacrosse is flexible in its free position strategy

Maryland midfielder Maisy Clevenger picked up the ball and stood eight meters away from the goal. She was positioned just to the right of the goalie, the only opposing player standing between her and the net. Clevenger crouched down — placing her stick on her shoulder — and waited for the referee’s whistle.

Instead of shooting, she passed across the shooting arc to an open Hannah Leubecker. Clevenger’s teammate caught the feed and fired a shot that rippled the net during the first quarter in Maryland women’s lacrosse’s win at Denver.

The score, which started directly from a free position opportunity, didn’t register as a successful free position shot because Clevenger opted to pass. The Terps still capitalized.

The Terps’ free position scoring rate is low. Maryland converted six of its free position attempts this season for a 26 percent success rate, tied for third-worst in the country.

It’s an aspect of the Terps’ attack that coach Cathy Reese believes needs improvement, but her team’s low success rate from eight meters ignores the fact that the Terps’ game plan isn’t based solely around shooting from free position opportunities.

“We try not to pre-plan, so we try to read what the defense is giving us,” attacker Victoria Hensh said. “Where they line up on the eight meter is usually dependent on if we’re going to pass it, [or] whether you’re going to veer a certain way.”

[No. 9 Maryland women’s lacrosse breezes past William & Mary, 20-5]

An attacking team is awarded a free position shot when a foul occurs inside the eight meter arc. The attacking player lines up eight meters away from the goal with a free path to the cage, as all defensive players must be outside the shooting space.

“You line up, and if you can get in the right mindset and mind frame that you can knock it down and execute it, but if you’re questioning yourself for a second that ball is hitting off the rim,” Reese said, comparing free position shots to free throws in basketball.

Players used to consistently just line up and shoot the ball, according to Reese, who played as an attacker from 1994 to 1998 at Maryland. Boston College’s Charlotte North brought a similar approach to the current generation, hitting more than 60 percent of her free position shots in 2021 and 2022 by peppering the goalie.

No current Maryland player can quite replicate the dominance North displayed in her college career. Attacker Libby May was more than 50 percent effective in 2022 and 2023, but hasn’t tallied from a free goal yet this year.

Many Terps are also opting to pass from eight meters instead of shoot, depending on the situation.

[A week after collapsing, Maryland women’s lacrosse’s defense held strong against Denver]

The position across the shooting arc can dictate a shot or a pass. The attacker will begin on one of six hash marks, decided by the referee based on proximity to the foul or the severity of the infraction. A player starting at the top of the line will be more enticed to shoot, compared to someone who is forced to the outer marks.

“I think it is player preference … know what we’re good at and what our strengths are,” Hensh said.

An opposing defense’s alignment will also provide a choice for Terp attackers. Maryland isn’t afraid to opt for a pass if someone is unmarked — Denver left Leubecker open on Saturday, and she scored off Clevenger’s pass.

At other times, the ball might be passed out of the close-range situation to kill time late in contests or if the Terps prefer to run their player-up offense.

“Sometimes it’s where the D sets up. Sometimes it’s who they leave open. Sometimes it’s a shooter, we have some people that really love to shoot free positions,” Reese said. “I think everything regarding the eight meter in women’s lacrosse is very situational.”

Maryland is one of the worst teams in the country in free position shooting by the numbers, but the Terps have found different ways to capitalize on the opportunities and find goals. Leubecker’s finish was one that stemmed from Maryland’s variety of free position approaches.

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Maryland

Attempted traffic stop leads to arrest of Maryland man wanted for kidnapping

Published

10 minutes ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

Attempted traffic stop leads to arrest of Maryland man wanted for kidnapping

Frederick County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) announced the arrest of a man wanted for kidnapping on Thursday afternoon.

Suba Washington Jr., 27, of Williamsport, Maryland, was apprehended in Frederick after an attempted traffic stop early Thursday morning, according to deputies.

The pursuit

When officers tried to pull over a Hyundai Elantra in the 7300 block of Crestwood Blvd., the driver, later identified as Washington, refused to stop.

Deputies were later notified that Washington was wanted on charges of kidnapping, first-degree assault, second-degree assault, and reckless endangerment in Washington County, Maryland.

As Washington fled northbound on Route 85, he struck a car near Crestwood Blvd. and Buckeystown Pike; however, the driver of the vehicle was unharmed as the suspect continued onto northbound I-270 and then westbound I-70.

Washington’s tires were eventually flattened after deputies deployed stop sticks near the Middletown exit.

Though the pursuit still wasn’t over, as the vehicle managed to cross over into Washington County, where the Washington County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) and Maryland State Police (MSP) aided in apprehension.

Washington was taken into custody after his vehicle approached the Route 40 exit, coming to a full stop on the highway.

The charges

A 17-year-old in the passenger seat was found with Washington during the pursuit. The teenager was released to WSCO.

According to FCSO, Washington Jr. was taken to the Frederick County Adult Detention Center and charged with numerous traffic citations, including reckless driving, negligent driving, and two counts of attempting to elude law enforcement.

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Maryland

Maryland to launch study on economic impacts of climate change

Published

12 hours ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

Maryland to launch study on economic impacts of climate change

Maryland will launch a study to analyze the economic impacts of climate change to determine the costs associated with storm damage and health outcomes.

The move is part of the Moore-Miller administration’s strategic approach to investing in a clean energy economy and modernizing the state’s energy infrastructure.

“While the federal government has spent the past year rolling back climate protections and driving up energy costs, Maryland is taking a responsible step toward understanding the true price tag of climate change,” Gov. Wes Moore said in a statement. “This study will give us a clear, data-driven look at the real burden taxpayers are shouldering as climate change drives more extreme and costly weather events.”

The RENEW Act Study will be funded by investments and state sources, including $30,000 from philanthropic funding and $470,000 from the Strategic Energy Investment Fund, to assess the burden that Marylanders are paying due to intense weather events and environmental shifts.

Marylanders on climate change

The announcement comes months after Maryland lawmakers opposed a proposal by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to recind its 2009 endangerment finding, which determined that greenhouse gases were a danger to public health.

Lawmakers raised concerns that the move would mean engine and vehicle manufacturers would not be required to measure, control or report greenhouse gas emissions. They also raised concerns that the decision could impact climate change and harm local communities.

The EPA said it intended to retain regulations for pollutant and toxic air measurement and standards. In September, the agency initiated the formal process to reconsider the finding.

In March, a Johns Hopkins University poll found that nearly 73% of surveyed Baltimore City and County residents were concerned that climate change would affect them.

According to the study, city residents were more concerned about personal harm from climate change than county residents. However, county residents expected to see higher costs in the next five years due to climate change.

About 70% of Baltimore area residents believe climate change will increase costs for homeowners and businesses in the next five years, the study found.

An April report ranked the Washington/Baltimore/Arlington region as the 36th worst in the country and second worst in the mid-Atlantic region for ozone smog. The report graded Baltimore County an “F” for ozone smog.

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