The Terps will have a shot to avenge their heartbreaking defeat at Penn earlier this season.
No. 6-seed Maryland women’s lacrosse started its NCAA Tournament journey with a convincing 16-7 victory over Fairfield on Friday.
The Terps left little doubt, blitzing the Stags from the opening whistle to take a commanding 6-1 lead after one quarter — a lead that they would only add to. Maryland relied on a balanced offense to put the game out of reach, as nine players netted a score.
But the Terps’ celebrations will quickly settle down, with just one day of rest before their next contest. Maryland hosts Penn in the second round on Sunday to book a potential third game against No. 3-seed Northwestern.
Maryland looks to secure back-to-back quarterfinal appearances and add to its grand total of 35 such berths. Sunday’s contest starts at noon and can be seen on ESPN+.
What happened last time
Maryland entered its March 31 contest against Penn in immaculate form, having dropped just one of its previous nine games. The Terps had also won 11 of their 13 all-time clashes against Penn. Momentum was all on Maryland’s side, until it wasn’t.
Both teams traded blows early on, with neither side able to separate early. While Penn took an 8-5 lead into halftime, Maryland refused to go down without a fight, notching the first score of the second half.
The Quakers extended their advantage to four early in the final quarter and looked prime to secure the win. But just nine seconds after Penn’s goal, Kori Edmondson gave the Terps some life. And Maryland capitalized on the momentum, scoring four unanswered goals to tie the game at 11 apiece five minutes later.
Suddenly, with eight minutes on the clock it was anyone’s game for the taking.
Penn took the opportunity, landing the final blow. With 24 seconds left in the game, Quakers attacker Keeley Block posted up her defender, turned and sidearmed the shot into the bottom corner. Penn defeated the Terps, 13-12, leaving Maryland supporters stunned.
While the Terps managed 25 shots on frame, it didn’t matter. Penn goalie Orly Sedransk was sensational, dispatching 13 shots and conceding 12 goals for a 52% save percentage. On the other side, JJ Suriano played one of her worst games, managing a near-season low in saves (5) and save percentage (31.3%).
Kori Edmondson posted a team-high four goals and Jordyn Lipkin contributed a hat trick. Their efforts were matched by Penn attackers Anna Brandt and Regan O’Brien, who combined for seven goals.
Maryland corralled 16 of the 29 draw controls, led by five from Edmondson and four from Kayla Gilmore. Those extra possessions were negated by 13 Terps turnovers, including nine in the first half.
What’s happened since
The Penn loss was the start of an up-and-down four-game road trip, where Maryland came away with two wins. The Terps responded well from that defeat with a West Coast sweep over Arizona State and then-No. 18 USC.
Maryland was dealt a 13-9 defeat by then-No. 9 Virginia in its ensuing game. From there, though, the Terps found their groove.
The Terps have six wins in their last seven contests, a stretch that includes their best performances of the season. Maryland once again has momentum while preparing to play Penn — this time around, it’s win or go home.
Penn hit the meat of its Ivy League schedule following the win, continuing conference play with consecutive defeats. The Quakers fell to then-No. 24 Princeton and dropped a quadruple overtime thriller against then-No. 8 Yale. Penn salvaged that rough patch, though, with a win over then-No. 5 Princeton that began a four-game winning streak.
But Penn’s run was snapped in the Ivy League Tournament semifinal against Yale. The Quakers’ one-goal advantage with less than a minute to go was wiped away after Yale scored two dramatic late goals.
Penn put forth a dominant performance in the NCAA Tournament opening round, sprinting out to an 11-2 lead late in the second quarter. Despite a comeback effort from Army, the Quakers shut the door, closing out their 16-6 victory with five unanswered goals.
Three things to watch
1. Home field, different outcome? Maryland’s 13-12 defeat against Penn was one of its two road losses on the season. The Terps will look to avenge that result on their home soil and attempt to snap a two-game losing streak against Penn. Maryland boasts an incredible 10-2 record in College Park this season, with the only losses coming against then-No. 6 Syracuse and then-No. 3 Northwestern.
2. How does Maryland’s defense fare against Brandt? The Quakers’ senior attacker has terrorized Maryland players and fans alike in the teams’ last three meetings. The Maryland native has generated 13 scores, playing a vital role in Penn’s two wins. While the Terps’ defense has been stellar down the stretch, slowing down Brandt will be a daunting task.
3. Suriano’s revenge game. Suriano has been playing her best lacrosse of the season, producing 31 saves in Maryland’s final two Big Ten Tournament contests. While the sophomore goalkeeper wasn’t asked to do much in the NCAA Tournament opener, she will look to respond from her subpar effort against Penn earlier this season.