The Terps begin Big Ten play against the reigning conference champions.
Maryland men’s lacrosse has emerged on the other side of a grueling nonconference schedule with five wins and two losses. The Terps had two chances to knock off heavyweights Virginia and Notre Dame but came up short both times.
They’ll now shift their focus to Big Ten play, where five matchups will take them to the end of the regular season. First up: a road game against No. 19 Michigan. Maryland seeks revenge against the Wolverines, who defeated the Terps twice last season.
Saturday’s game will air at 2:30 pm on the Big Ten Network.
Michigan Wolverines (5-3, 0-0 Big Ten)
2023 record: 10-7, 2-3 Big Ten
Led by former Maryland defensive coordinator Kevin Conry, Michigan began its season on a disappointing note with a 19-11 loss to Virginia.
The Wolverines responded with five straight victories, albeit over weaker nonconference opponents. They enters Saturday’s game looking to get back to winning ways after two straight losses.
Last season, the Wolverines downed the Terps in the Big Ten Championship Game, 14-5.
Players to watch
Michael Boehm, senior attackman, No. 5 — Boehm is the focal point of Michigan’s offense, managing 18 goals and 19 assists this season. Against Maryland’s defense last year, he scored nine goals across two contests.
Justin Tiernan, graduate attackman, No. 44 — After scoring 77 goals during his Patriot League career at Lehigh, Tiernan transferred to the Wolverines for his final year of eligibility. In eight games this season, he is the nation’s leading goal scorer with 32 tallies.
“He reminds me of [former Terp] Jay Carlson,” head coach John Tillman said. “He is awesome off the ball, gets it in gets it out. He hunts rebounds, he finds good spots, he has good instincts, got a good release.”
Cathal Roberts, graduate defenseman, No. 9 — Roberts, a Princeton transfer, has put together a very impressive season thus far, recording 17 ground balls and 15 caused turnovers.
Strength
Attack. In addition to Boehm and Tiernan, junior attacker Ryan Cohen has impressed to the tune of 18 goals and 15 assists. The Wolverines’ primary attack line is responsible for over 70% of their 116 goals this year.
“They’re super slick, they’re excellent in the pick game,” Tillman said. “We told our guys this is the most picks that you’ll see all year. So you got to really make sure that you’re communicating, that you’re making good decisions.”
Weakness
Defense. While Michigan’s defense is allowing under 12 goals per game, it has struggled against top opponents. Against Notre Dame and Virginia, the Wolverines surrendered 19 goals.
Three things to watch
1. Faceoff battle. Luke Wierman has experience over senior midfielder Kyle Stephenson, who is in his first season as Michigan’s primary faceoff man. However, Stephenson is off to a stellar start this year, having won over 60% of his faceoffs.
2. First Big Ten matchup. The start of conference play will bring upon a new level of physicality and intensity. No matter the opponent, every game will have a heightened meaning.
3. Will McNaney bounce back? Maryland fans have developed high standards for the All-American goalie, but he struggled against Virginia, stopping only 36% of shots he faced. He’ll look to get back to his usual form Saturday.