COLLEGE PARK -- As soon as the game ended, Kip Fulks launched his stick into the air and Dan Radebaugh raised his arms while letting out a sigh. Brian Dougherty just ripped off his helmet and ambled to the team huddle with his head sagging.
Maryland exhibited more signs of relief than of celebration. It was that type of lacrosse victory.
After nearly turning the game into a rout, Maryland needed to fend off Notre Dame for the last 19 minutes and escaped with a 14-11 NCAA Division I quarterfinal win before 3,002 at Byrd Stadium.
The fourth-seeded Terps (11-3) won their first postseason game in three years and advanced to the Final Four for the first time since 1991. Maryland, which had 10 players score, faces top-seeded Johns Hopkins at Byrd on Saturday at noon.
"In the first half, we had guys playing out of their abilities on both ends of the field," said Radebaugh, a Terps senior defenseman. "Then we stopped playing team defense and had players trying to start fast breaks when they shouldn't."
Notre Dame (9-5), which came back with seven straight goals against Duke last week, took advantage of that defensive breakdown. The Fighting Irish attack had more room to maneuver and got open looks at the goal.
Trailing 10-2 with six minutes left in the third quarter, the Fighting Irish targeted their shots at Dougherty's right side, toward his hip and lower. Notre Dame scored five goals in that area during a 6-0 spurt in nine minutes to close to within 10-8.
"I don't know where I was," said Dougherty, who finished with 13 saves but none in the fourth quarter. "The last thing I remember was the score being 10-2.
"There were maybe one or two shots that I could have saved. I knew where the shots were going, but I couldn't do anything about them. I couldn't get there quick enough."
Randy Colley scored and assisted on another goal as Notre Dame cut the lead to 11-10 with 9:48 left in the game.
And Maryland called its first timeout during Notre Dame's surge.
"When it got to 11-10, I actually heard kids encouraging each other," Maryland coach Dick Edell said. "We've been through this situation -- obviously not in the NCAA quarterfinals -- but all season long."
The Terps regained their poise by controlling possession in their set offense. Rob Chomo fed a cutting Bill Ruhl for a score with 6:23 remaining to push the lead to 12-10.
