SOUTH BEND, Ind. — SOUTH BEND, Ind. - - Considering how the Maryland men's lacrosse team struggled this spring, it seemed the Terps would need a fast start and a hot goalie to pull off an upset in their NCAA tournament opener.
As it turned out, one of two was more than enough.
Junior goalkeeper Brian Phipps made nine saves and Maryland scored when needed to produce a methodical 7-3 win over No. 7 seed and previously undefeated Notre Dame before an announced 1,016 at Alumni Field here Sunday.
The victory improved the Terps, ranked No. 13 in The Baltimore Sun's poll, to 10-6 and earned a quarterfinal date with top-ranked Syracuse on Saturday at Hofstra in New York. The reigning national champion Orange (13-2), No. 2 seed in the tournament, handled Siena, 11-4, on Sunday night.
Maryland won its ninth first-round game in its past 10 courtesy of a defensive effort that stymied the Fighting Irish, who entered the tournament 10th in the country in scoring with an 11.5 goals-a-game average.
Notre Dame, which had outscored its opponents by more than five goals a game, misfired on 31 attempts, went 0-for-4 on extra-man situations, and didn't score during a 36-minute, 31-second stretch over the first, second and third quarters.
"We doubled the ball a lot," Phipps said of a Terps unit that ranked 10th in the nation in defense (7.8 goals a game). "We made them make skip passes and harder passes, and they eventually threw the ball away. We executed our game plan perfectly."
The Fighting Irish put just 12 of their 34 shots on net. During one sequence in the third quarter, Phipps stoned Matt Ciambella, left alone in front, and Neal Hicks, who fired wide left of Phipps on a breakaway.
"We shot the ball poorly," Notre Dame coach Kevin Corrigan said, noting the number of times the team missed the cage with high shots. "We let their goalie off the hook a number of times when we had good opportunities."
On offense, Maryland didn't light up the scoreboard, but it didn't have to. The Terps scored twice in each of the first three quarters and were content to hold on to the ball for long possessions and wait for opportunities.
"Once we got up on them, I thought that really helped our team," said Maryland senior midfielder Dan Groot, who led all scorers with two goals. "It just felt like we were much bigger, stronger and faster than they were. I think that really helped our confidence."
Notes: : Terps junior attackman Will Yeatman finished with two assists in his return to Notre Dame after transferring to Maryland in the offseason. "When you think about it as much as I have this past week, you're prepared for what's going to happen, and I put myself mentally through all those situations," said Yeatman, who was razzed by members of the Fighting Irish women's lacrosse team every time he touched the ball in the first quarter. "Once I got out there today, I was ready for all of it." ... Half of the Terps' first six goals came from third-line midfielders Adam Sear and Rob Morrison and reserve attackman Joe Cummings.
"We were getting contributions from other guys," coach Dave Cottle said. "I think that really helped us." ... Maryland went 20-for-20 on clears. The Fighting Irish went 10-for-15.
Maryland vs. Syracuse
NCAA
quarterfinal
@Hofstra
Saturday,
noon or 2 p.m.
