No. 6 Maryland women’s lacrosse dominates Drexel, 15-9

After Drexel made it a four-goal sport with about 9 minutes remaining, Maryland girls’s lacrosse’s Libby Might determined she’d had sufficient. She first scored on a free place shot and a subsequent completely positioned bounce shot, calmly placing the Terps again up by six.

The Terps managed the remainder of the competition, defeating Drexel 15-9 Tuesday afternoon in Philadelphia. Might completed with six objectives.

In its final match in opposition to Syracuse, Maryland typically discovered itself speeding its performs. As an alternative of creating the appropriate resolution, they merely made the primary one which was introduced to them. In opposition to the Dragons, the Terps took a a lot completely different method.

Proper from the primary draw management, Maryland confirmed appreciable endurance on offense, working the ball round effectively.

On their first aim, the Terps returned to the identical offensive assault that proved so efficient in opposition to St. Joseph’s, which was permitting junior attacker Eloise Clevenger to make use of her creativity and passing savvy from behind the aim. Senior midfielder Shaylan Ahearn was the beneficiary of Clevenger’s imaginative and prescient, placing the Terps up 1-0 early on.

Within the first quarter, there have been a number of eye-opening cases that Maryland followers ought to pay attention to. First, Maryland capitalized on its free place and woman-up alternatives; neither have been robust fits in its fall to Syracuse.

Moreover, the Terps have been robust on protection within the first body. Though the Dragons didn’t have too many probabilities on offense — a credit score to Ahearn on the draw controls — the Terps have been dominant on protection. Senior goalie Emily Sterling made a number of spectacular saves in web and Maryland’s particular person defenders have been each bodily and stifling.

Within the second quarter, there was no scoring for fairly some time. Drexel’s premier scorer, senior midfielder Corinne Bednarik, broke the silence about six minutes into the motion. Her aim got here after a powerful dodge in opposition to Maryland graduate defender Marge Donovan, who made her return in right this moment’s match.

A few minute later, Bednarik struck once more to chop Maryland’s result in 4. Clearly, the Dragons have been merely trying to isolate their most expert offensive expertise. On her second aim, Bednarik labored from the X place behind the online and slashed her technique to the entrance of the aim mouth for an impressive rating.

Regardless of being the quicker, extra gifted group, Maryland bought away from what makes it such an imposing unit on offense in quarter two. With a lead, the Terps took their foot off the fuel and made plenty of uncharacteristic blunders.

Maryland had an offensive foul, shot clock violation and fired a number of errant pictures. The Terps additionally didn’t transfer the ball that effectively. As an alternative, they tried to beat defenders one-on-one.

This all culminated in a dismal sequence for the Terps, who practically had a scoreless quarter if not for Might’s heroics with lower than a second remaining. The Terps led on the half by a rating of 8-4, however misplaced the second body 3-1.

Within the third quarter, the Terps instantly confirmed a rise in power. They hounded the Dragons on each offensive possession and have been fast to clear the ball following a turnover. This boosted the Terps’ offensive assault, and senior attacker Hannah Leubecker featured her aim scoring prowess.

Regardless of the 2 objectives potted by Drexel, Maryland maintained a reasonably convincing 11-6 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Within the fourth body, the Terps initally had a little bit of a scare when the Dragons made it a 4 aim sport. Nonetheless, the squad remained calm, and Might netted two straight inside the span of simply over a minute to place the Terps again up by six.

Moreover, Kori Edmondson continued to indicate why she was the No. 1 recruit this previous 12 months, placing on a dodging and capturing clinic. This resulted in her second profession aim mid-way by the quarter.

Total, Maryland’s protection held robust and stored its form within the last body en path to the victory.

The Terps will now journey to Gainesville to tackle the Florida Gators at 12 p.m. this Saturday.

Three issues to know

1. Two offensive threats shined. Might and Leubecker could be the reply on offense for the Terps. Regardless of neither getting in rhythm within the Terps’ final fixture in opposition to Syracuse, each displayed their supreme means and potential. They scored in plenty of alternative ways, from free place pictures to fast releases to quick breaks. In the end, Might notched six objectives, whereas Leubecker put 4 previous Drexel goalkeeper Jenika Cuocco. Most significantly, this displaying ought to give Maryland followers solace within the group’s means to attain.

2. The Terps by no means misplaced focus. Regardless of runs by Drexel within the second and fourth quarters, Maryland by no means wavered. Each occasions the Terps brushed it off they usually regained their composure. Why is that this so essential? If Maryland desires to nonetheless be enjoying in late Might, it’s paramount that it doesn’t lose its focus after dangerous stretches in opposition to the elite groups within the nation. Having this expertise in opposition to Drexel was important to the Terps’ mentality and development.

3. Dominating floor balls and draw controls. Merely put, profitable begins with the basics, and that’s simply what the Terps prioritized right this moment. They’d 12 floor balls and beat out the Dragons 20-8 on draw controls. If Maryland desires to win high-level video games, it’s essential it doesn’t overlook these seemingly little issues. Immediately, it aptly described the Terps’ aggressive fashion of play.