Wildcats

Ashlyn Tapley knows the challenges that go with being the area's top-ranked team. As a matter of fact, the Arundel senior welcomes them. She showed that on a big stage Wednesday. "I think we were kind of nervous when we came out, but then we started playing with confidence," Tapley said. "We showed what we were made of. " Indeed the Wildcats did. Arundel (1-0) out-passed and out-defended a team known for its defense, winning at No. 4 Towson, 25-20, 25-18, 25-12, in a nonleague game.

When Northwestern's Shannon Smith made her move to goal in the waning seconds of Friday night's NCAA Division I women's lacrosse semifinal, she knew she was going to score the game-winner. Smith had already scored three goals, and one more would put the Wildcats in the championship with a chance to avenge last year's title game loss to No. 1 Maryland. After a foul that put her out wide to the right of the goalie, she made her move "There was no Plan B for me," Smith said. "I was waiting for the clock to hit 30 [seconds]

When it comes to winning tradition, not many college programs are as steeped in success as Maryland and Northwestern women's lacrosse. Maryland has won 11 national championships, including 10 since the NCAA took over the sport in 1982 and seven in a row between 1995 and 2001. Northwestern has five — consecutive titles between 2005 and 2009. Between them, the Terrapins and Wildcats have combined for 13 national crowns in the past 16 years. By Sunday night, that will be 14 national crowns in 17 years.

Vengeful Wildcat caught pacesetter Chipshot and took the lead in mid-stretch to win the $100,000 Chick Lang Stakes. Under Jockey Carlos Marquez Jr., Vengeful Wildcat prevailed by a neck in the spring for 3-year-olds. A winner of three races in five starts, Vengeful Wildcat is trained by Ben Perkins Jr., and paid $6.40. "He's a pretty honest little sucker," Perkins said. "Carlos fits him well. He knows the horse completely. He broke well and ran well. He's a very tractable horse.

Navy men's basketball coach Billy Lange has resigned, the Naval Academy announced today. FoxSports.com reported that Lange was leaving Annapolis to be an associate head coach at Villanova. Before landing the Navy job in 2005, Lange was an assistant under Jay Wright at Villanova from 2002-2004. "Being the head coach of Navy basketball has truly been and will always be one of the highest honors of my life," Lange said in news release.  "To be associated with such a prestigious institution and be a part of the tradition, legacy and family of Navy basketball was a privilege.

Et cetera No. 2 Northwestern women fall to No. 5 Florida in lacrosse Erin Fitzgerald scored a season-high four goals, but an early 5-1 deficit turned out to be too much for No. 2 Northwestern to overcome as the Wildcats (12-1, 2-1 American Lacrosse Conference) dropped a 13-11 decision to fifth-ranked Florida (13-1, 4-0) on Thursday night in Gainesville. Kitty Cullen led the Gators with six goals, including three of the team's four in the second half.

MEN No. 1 Syracuse (6-0) at No. 17 Villanova (7-1) Saturday, 7 p.m. About Syracuse: The Orange and Notre Dame are the lone remaining unbeaten teams, but the former has been extended to overtime twice in the past three contests. Senior defenseman John Lade, who held Johns Hopkins senior attackman Chris Boland scoreless on 0-for-3 shooting and forced five turnovers last Saturday, might draw Wildcats junior attackman Kevin Cunningham (20 goals, 13 assists)

Records through Sunday (last week's ranking) 1. Ohio State 29-2 (1): Buckeyes are out to add a Big Ten tournament title to their regular-season crown. 2. Kansas 29-2 (2): In five-game streak, Jayhawks won by 16.4 points per game. 3. Pittsburgh 27-4 (5): Pitt loves New York. Jamie Dixon is going for a third Big East tournament title. 4. Notre Dame 25-5 (7): Ben Hansbrough averaged 26 points, shot 67.3 percent in the last four games. 5. Duke 27-4 (4)

When Navy coach Cindy Timchal was at Maryland, she nurtured Kelly Amonte Hiller into a four-time All-American, leading the Terrapins to consecutive national championships in 1995 and 1996. After graduation, Amonte Hiller had a meteoric rise as a coach, eventually taking over the Northwestern program that Timchal helped develop before leaving for College Park. Amonte Hiller faced her mentor for just the second time Thursday night in Annapolis in a nonconference match-up, and her No. 2 Wildcats never trailed in an 18-8 victory.

For 33 exciting minutes, Jordan Williams and his pumped-up Maryland teammates were better than seventh-ranked Villanova, which had not lost since November. But all it took were those other seven pesky minutes -- an excruciating second-half stretch for the Terps, who were outscored 19-0 -- to undo all that came before it. Just like that, Maryland's 12-point lead had vanished into the din created by 17,477 fans at Wells Fargo Center, and Villanova had escaped with a 74-66 victory that was its 11th in a row. After the lead was lost, Maryland (11-6)