Maryland Men’s Lacrosse Advances to Final Four with 9-6 Victory Over Georgetown
Annapolis, MD – The Maryland men’s lacrosse team, seeded No. 2, demonstrated a masterclass in defensive play on Sunday, overcoming unseeded Georgetown in a tightly contested NCAA Tournament quarterfinal, sealing a 9-6 victory. The match, held at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, drew a record crowd of 17,721, surpassing the previous attendance for a quarterfinal round.
Despite a season filled with high-scoring games, Maryland embraced a slower pace, highlighting their strong defensive strategy. Graduate student goalkeeper Logan McNaney starred with 11 saves, and the defense went on a crucial 15-minute scoreless streak against Georgetown, limiting their shots and opportunities.
Graduate student Jack McDonald noted the importance of playing against Big Ten teams for preparation, allowing Maryland to anticipate Georgetown’s gritty approach: “It was kind of going to be a rock fight… we were prepared.”
Maryland’s offense, although not the highest-scoring, was efficient. Junior attacker Braden Erksa led the team with three goals, while graduate midfielder Bryce Ford contributed one goal and two assists. The Terps secured their second consecutive trip to the Final Four and the 30th overall, surpassing Johns Hopkins for the most appearances in NCAA Division I history.
For Georgetown, this defeat marked their 11th consecutive loss in quarterfinal competitions, falling to a disappointing record of 1-12 at this stage. Coach Kevin Warne expressed frustration with the team’s 17 turnovers, attributing their struggles to Maryland’s tactical defensive schemes.
As Maryland prepares for their upcoming matchup against No. 6 seed Syracuse, they remain focused on building on their defensive success and managed to thrive amid the pressure of the NCAA Tournament.
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