Rather than head to warm, sunny locales frequented by college students on spring break (or to Missouri, where many Maryland fans headed), the Terrapin women’s lacrosse team traveled north to New Hampshire.
They received a chilly – and wet – reception.
The No. 2 Terps’ win against No. 15 Dartmouth on Wednesday went down to the wire. In the cold and rain-soaked contest, the Terps only pulled out the 13-12 victory after two extra periods, their closest game and lowest scoring tally of the season.
Perhaps they were distracted by spring break. But they had no problems in the first game of the break on Sunday, when they beat No. 13 New Hampshire 19-7 and recorded their biggest goal total and winning margin of the season. The Big Green, though, would not allow them to cruise to their fifth-straight top-20 win.The teams traded goals throughout the first half, giving the Terps only a 5-4 lead at halftime, a low-scoring effort from the Terps, who average 16.33 goals a game.
The Terps have had slow first halves before, which they usually make up for with scoring barrages in the final thirty minutes, as they did against Richmond, when a 4-2 halftime score became a 16-4 victory.That seemed to be the way the game would go today. Though Dartmouth tied the game right out of the gate, the Terps then went on a 6-0 run and seemed to be pulling away.
But Dartmouth refused to fold under pressure.The Big Green ended the game with a 6-0 run of their own, keeping the Terps scoreless in the last 15 minutes, the longest scoring drought for the Terps all year.
Overtime, here we come.
In their first extra period of the season, again the Terps appeared to have the game wrapped up. They ended Dartmouth’s run, and defender Karissa Taylor gave the Terps a 12-11 lead. But as the last seconds were ticking down, the Terps let their guard up.
Dartmouth’s Sarah Plumb darted through the Terp defense and scored with no time to spare, setting up a second overtime.
The Terps learned from their mistake. Attacker Karri Ellen Johnson scored to again put the Terps ahead, and this time, they did not let up the pressure until the clock read 0:00.
Johnson and midfielder Laura Merrifield led the Terps with three goals each. Seven Terps scored overall. But though Terps out-shot Dartmouth 37-20, they only won by one goal.
If you have time to take a break from basketball, the Terps will try to finish more shots in a noon game against Boston College at home on Saturday and end their spring break with a win. (And you can be home in time for the basketball team’s 3:20 tip.)
Tags: Sports