The Terps look for a 2-0 start against a familiar opponent.
No. 6 Maryland men’s lacrosse head coach John Tillman has had this game circled on his calendar for a while.
The Terps play against unranked, in-state rivals Loyola (Md.) Saturday. With gloomy weather projected and a trio of massive matches looming on the horizon, this contest has all the makings of a trap game.
It certainly mirrors the last time Maryland visited Loyola. In that game, the Terps suffered a stunning 12-7 loss, the first of six defeats in the worst season of Tillman’s tenure.
Immediately following the victory against Richmond, the Terps were adamant that this team will avoid suffering the same fate against the Greyhounds this time around.
“Last time we went to Loyola did not go very well. They took it to us pretty good. So enjoy it for a couple of days … and get back to work on Monday,” Tillman said.
The Terps and Greyhounds face off in Baltimore at 1:00 p.m. The game will be available on ESPN Plus.
Loyola (Md.) Greyhounds (0-1, 0-0 Patriot League)
2024 record: 7-8, 5-3 Patriot League
Head coach Charley Toomey has led the Greyhounds for 20 years, most notably bringing Loyola its first and only national title in 2012 — against Maryland. The Greyhounds have just one Final Four appearance in the 12 years since and have not made the NCAA Tournament since 2021.
Loyola’s schedule to open this year did them no favors. The Greyhounds began the season with a 13-6 defeat at No. 11 Georgetown. Loyola squandered a 4-1 first-quarter lead by giving up six consecutive goals. After fighting back to make it a 7-6 game, the Greyhounds allowed another 6-0 run.
Players to know
Matthew Minicus, junior attacker, No. 7 — Loyola’s top returning offensive stick, Minicus was third on the team in 2024 with 43 points. Tallying 28 goals and 15 assists last season, the junior attacker opened 2025 with two goals and two assists against Georgetown.
Remi Reynolds, senior defender, No. 28 — Reynolds was named to the All-Patriot League second team last season after scooping 32 ground balls and causing 17 turnovers. The former Rutgers transfer began as a long stick midfielder before transitioning to a short stick defensive midfielder and finally landing in close defense last season.
Henry Haberman, junior attacker, No. 3 — After graduating 20 players last year, the Greyhounds needed some of their current crop to step up. It has only been one game, but Haberman seems to have answered the bell. The junior had two goals and an assist against Georgetown and is nearly halfway to his 2024 total of five points.
Strength
Ball control. The Greyhounds are excellent at maintaining possession. Last season, they committed just 14 turnovers per game, the third-lowest figure in the nation.
Weakness
Faceoffs. The Greyhounds were sixth-lowest in the NCAA last season with a paltry .398 faceoff win percentage. With last season’s best-performing faceoff specialist having graduated, Loyola started its season 5 for 21 from the X.
Three things to know
1. Maryland holds all-time advantage. The Terps are 22-3 all-time against Loyola; however, in recent times, that record has been weaker. The Greyhounds have won three of the program’s last seven meetings.
2. Ten goals the goal for Maryland. The Terps and Greyhounds have played five times in the 21st century. The Terps lost the two games in which they scored less than 10 goals and won the three games in which they scored double-digit goals.
3. Braden Erksa and Eric Spanos seeking a spark. To nitpick the Terps’ performance against Richmond, the Terps’ top returners did not have much of an impact. Spanos dished out two assists and Erksa scored Maryland’s final two goals Saturday, but neither seemed to exert much influence on the game.