No. 3 Maryland men’s lacrosse drops regular-season finale to No. 7 Johns Hopkins, 12-11

The annual rivalry matchup between No. 3 Maryland males’s lacrosse and No. 7 Johns Hopkins garnered large expectations, as is custom. And the sport lived as much as each little bit of it.

Neither staff led by multiple purpose till late within the fourth quarter, when the Blue Jays scored on the 3:51 mark. Junior attackman Russell Melendez, who had his approach with the Terps all sport, shined when the lights had been brightest.

Melendez snuck into the center of Maryland’s protection and scored a vital purpose earlier than he hit the turf.

Now down by two with lower than 4 minutes remaining, the Terps wanted perfection.

Senior attackman Daniel Maltz gave Maryland life with 54 seconds remaining, scoring his fourth purpose of the sport, after which senior Luke Wierman gained maybe a very powerful faceoff of the yr to present the Terps an opportunity at extra time.

As Maryland labored the ball across the attacking zone, sophomore attackman Zach Whittier tried to go the ball to freshman attackman Braden Erksa, nevertheless it sailed over him, ending the Terps’ Huge Ten regular-season title hopes and sealing a 12-11 victory for the Blue Jays.

Johns Hopkins overcame a four-game dropping streak to the Terps, profitable “The Rivalry” and a share of the Huge Ten regular-season title. Maryland would be the No. 3 seed within the Huge Ten Match, and Johns Hopkins would be the No. 2 seed due to an earlier loss to Penn State — the highest seed.

Maryland’s whole roster stayed on the sphere after the sport and watched the Blue Jays hoist the wood crab trophy given to the sequence’ annual victor, wishing they’d one other shot.

Each groups got here up empty of their first two possessions, however the gloomy climate and slick turf didn’t cease senior attackman Daniel Maltz. Maryland labored the ball across the attacking zone, which discovered Maltz on the “X.” The attackman tried to shake off his defender, earlier than roping across the internet and rifling the ball into the cage.

It didn’t take Johns Hopkins for much longer to get on the board, matching the Terps lower than two minutes later. Junior attackman Russell Melendez nuzzled into the center of Maryland’s protection earlier than firing the ball at goalie Mind Ruppel. The freshman dropped to his knees to make the save, however deflected the ball proper to junior midfielder Brendan Grimes, who canned his first alternative.

The Blue Jays scored the subsequent purpose, however their lead didn’t final lengthy, as junior attackman Daniel Kelly and senior midfielder Kyle Lengthy every discovered the again of the online minutes later for the Terps.

A mix of turnovers and missed shot makes an attempt postponed the scoring for almost 13 minutes — the subsequent purpose wouldn’t come till the 7:31 mark of the second quarter.

Maryland was further aggressive after sophomore attackman Eric Spanos’ shot was blocked, hounding the Blue Jays at midfield. This choice proved to be a mistake, because the Terps’ protection was under-manned as soon as Johns Hopkins broke by the press.

Melendez then caught the ball 10 yards away from the cage and awed the group with a slick behind-the-back go, which discovered senior attackman Jacob Angelus for the rating.

The Blue Jays tacked on one other purpose 30 seconds later when star attackman Garrett Degnon scored his thirty third purpose of the season.

Maryland refused to let Johns Hopkins enter halftime with a lead, although, and freshman attackman Braden Erksa answered the decision. Erksa scored consecutive unassisted objectives within the last 5 minutes and 30 seconds of the primary half, ensuing within the sport’s fourth lead change.

The third quarter acquired off to a blazing begin. Johns Hopkins scored two objectives within the first two minutes, however Maryland retaliated with two of its personal. The primary got here from junior defenseman Nick Redd, his first profession purpose, and Erksa scored the second.

Erksa’s masterful sport continued moments later, because the freshman tattooed the top-right nook of the online for his fourth purpose of the sport.

The Blue Jays had a response for every Erksa outburst, nevertheless, and Johns Hopkins entered the fourth quarter with a one-goal benefit.

Freshman goalie Mind Ruppel kick-started the fourth quarter with a formidable save, after which Maltz returned the favor along with his third purpose of the day to tie the sport, 10-10.

Nevertheless it was Johns Hopkins that had the final snigger, scoring two objectives and staving off a late comeback try to safe the win.

Three issues to know

1. Sloppy first half. Maryland dedicated 9 turnovers and missed 15 of its 20 shot makes an attempt within the first half. The Blue Jays had been even worse, nevertheless, producing 10 turnovers and a 0.211 taking pictures proportion. Each had been higher within the second half, although, leading to an abundance of scoring.

2. A far cry from final yr’s regular-season finale. The undefeated Terps beat the brakes off the Blue Jays in 2022, handing them their worst loss in program historical past, 22-7. Issues had been completely different this yr, nevertheless, as Johns Hopkins by no means allowed the Terps to acquire greater than a one-goal lead. The Blue Jays’ 12-11 win was their first over Maryland since 2019 and first below head coach Peter Milliman.

3. Johns Hopkins wins a share of the Huge Ten regular-season title. Johns Hopkins and Penn State, following their wins over Maryland and Rutgers, are co-Huge Ten regular-season champions. The 2 will every obtain a first-round bye within the Huge Ten Match, however Penn State will maintain the No. 1 seed after defeating Johns Hopkins, 12-11, earlier this yr. Maryland’s loss on Saturday night time ended its two-year Huge Ten regular-season title run.