Hopkins, Navy, UMBC, Maryland in Men's Lacrosse NCAA Tournament

The selection committee has decided, and four teams from the state of Maryland will head to the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Tournament, Johns Hopkins, Navy, UMBC, and Maryland will compete. Loyola reportedly is the last team out of the equation.

With this tournament, the top-8 teams are seeded due to committee selections, then the other eight are filled in. Let's take a real early look at the first round matchups:

8-seed Johns Hopkins vs. Brown
Brown is a scrappy squad that recently defeated Cornell, the 5-seed of the tournament. They play nearly everyone close, and so does Hopkins, so this will be a close matchup that may go down to the wire. The Bears are 12-2 and led by Andrew Feinberg with 54 points including nine man-up goals. Homewood won't see many goals in its final game, but the offenses will both be tested.

Maryland vs. 7-seed Notre Dame
Well this is certainly the eye-opener. Not only is Notre Dame the last undefeated team in Division I, but this will be a homecoming for Will Yeatman, though I doubt he will enjoy it. The knock on the Fighting Irish is that they had a relatively easy schedule, but undefeated is undefeated. Five players have between 32 and 42 points and they only allow about six goals per game. This will be another close game, though Maryland is 9-6 they have taken many teams to the brink. Yeatman may not enjoy the homecoming, but this will be a big matchup to watch.

UMBC vs. 6-seed North Carolina
Don Zimmerman will go back to a place where he used to be an assistant. This is a great matchup for UMBC; their senior midfield against a backup goalie as UNC's Grant Zimmerman (no relation) is out with injury. The Tar Heels under new coach Joe Breschi are faster and more athletic. Sophomore Billy Bitter has 60 points and is a dangerous attack. This game may come down to time of possession, but both are strong and should be a good matchup.

Navy vs. 3-seed Duke
Navy will not enjoy this matchup; there was some talk about Duke being the one-seed of the tournament. Duke is led by Tewaaraton candidate Ned Crotty on offense, plus Max Quinzani. Navy is known for defense and Tommy Phelan and company will be tested against the strong offense. If the Mids can play their style, the game will be close, but it will be tough for them to compete.

Maryland Lacrosse Roundup: Taking On The Best

As the country focused on the NCAA men's basketball tournament, the lacrosse world continued to roll on with some of Maryland's teams taking on the best in the sport. UMBC took on Maryland in an in-state rivalry, Johns Hopkins faced-off against Syracuse in a title game rematch, and Towson took on #1 Virginia.

UMBC Upsets Terrapins Again
The #10 Retrievers seem to have #5 Maryland's number lately, with another upset in College Park, winning 9-7 on Saturday. This is the third time in a row that UMBC has upset Maryland.

A big defensive first half saw UMBC go into the locker room up 4-1. Maryland never got their footing, as runs of 5-1 and 4-1 were plenty to take down Maryland. Maryland shot more times but most of them missed the net completely, so Jeremy Blevins was not tested in goal much. The UMBC midfield once again ruled, with Alex Hopmann and Kyle Wimer each getting two goals and an assist, while two Terrapins, Grant Catalino and Ryan Young, scored hat tricks.

This was UMBC's lone match of the week, improving to 4-2 and will take on Ohio State on March 21st. Despite an angry Dave Cottle from that loss, Maryland rebounded and defeated Bryant 13-6 on Sunday, helping by three-goal days by Dan Groot and Travis Reed. Maryland sits at 5-2 and will play their second in-conference game on Saturday against North Carolina.

Battle at the Top: Hopkins Downed by the Orange, Towson falls to Wahoos
Two Maryland-based teams traveled on the road to take on the top teams in the country, and both fell. #8 Hopkins lost in their rematch of last year's title game to #2 Syracuse 14-11 and Towson's struggles continue with a loss to #1 Virginia 11-2.

In front of over 9,000 fans at the Carrier Dome, this match had a lot of hype. Hopkins got out to an early lead against the defending champs, but a 6-0 run and later a 5-1 run by Syracuse was too much for the Blue Jay defense. Syracuse had very accurate shooting, getting 29 shots on goal, and while Michael Gvozden saved 15 of them, it was not enough in the end. Four Blue Jays ended with a couple goals, led by Kyle Wharton, who also had three assists.

In the short run, Towson looked like they could at least hang with Virginia. Down 4-0 at the end of the first quarter, the Tigers got two quick goals at the start of the second to cut the lead in half. But that is all they could muster. Towson would not score again and got hit by a slow 7-0 run through the end of the game. Towson did win the face-off game with Mitchell Rosensweig grabbing 12 of 17 faceoffs, but that and the overall defense is about all that went well in the end.

Hopkins falls to 3-2 and will return to Homewood Field for a battle with #1 Virginia over the weekend. Towson is now at 1-4, will head home to take on Robert Morris on Saturday afternoon.

For the rest of the teams in the state:
--#15 Navy had a seven-goal quarter in two wins during their road travels, one in the 10-8 victory over Lehigh and the other in a 10-5 win against Holy Cross. They improve to 6-2 and will play their second Patriot League match on Saturday against Colgate.
--#18 Loyola defended their home field well, giving #17 St. John's their first loss 10-7 plus defeating Bryant 15-11. Now at 5-2, the Greyhounds will take on UMass on Saturday.
--Mt. St. Mary's earned their first win of the season with a 12-9 victory over Manhattan thanks to freshman attack Christian Kellett, who scored hat trick goals and assists. The Mount will continue MAAC conference play against Marist on the weekend.

The Around the Harbor Lacrosse Standings Through March 15th:
(overall record, record vs. in-state teams), new Inside Lacrosse rankings
Navy (6-2, 1-0), ranked #13
Loyola (5-2, 1-0), ranked #t-14
Johns Hopkins (3-2, 1-0), ranked #7
UMBC (4-2, 1-1), ranked #6

Maryland (5-2, 1-1), ranked #10

Mt. St. Mary's (1-3, 0-1)

Towson (1-4, 0-2)

Maryland Lacrosse Roundup: The State at War

The state of Maryland threw each other's lacrosse teams at one another this week, leading to some great games all around. UMBC took on the rebuilt Johns Hopkins, Towson tried to defend its home turf against Maryland, and Navy got ready for the Mount.

Blue Jays Hold Off the Dogs
The Retrievers tried valiantly to come back in the fourth quarter, cutting a seven-goal lead to just two, but in the end it was not enough. #9 Johns Hopkins won over #8 UMBC 14-11 in UMBC Stadium, handing the Retrievers their first loss.

After going into the locker room 8-6, Hopkins decimated the UMBC defense, scoring five goals in 15 minutes to put the score 13-6 with just over 10 minutes to go. UMBC had a five-goal run in the fourth, but it just wasn't enough. Michael Kimmel and Steven Boyle ended with hat tricks for the Hop while Alex Hopmann led with four goals for UMBC.

The rest of the week was good to the victor, not good to the defeated. Hopkins won 12-7 over Hofstra thanks to a five-goal effort put forth by Kyle Wharton while UMBC lost a defensive thriller to #5 Princeton 6-5 at home after giving up five goals in the third period. 3-1 Johns Hopkins will take on Syracuse on Saturday in a rematch from the '08 national championship while UMBC sets their sights on Maryland the same day.

Terps Hold Off The Tigers
Both #6 Maryland and Towson put forth a strong overall effort, but in the end the Terps took home the victory 9-7 in Towson's home opener, getting key shots in the second half. With the win, Maryland improves to 4-1, and Towson falls to 1-3.

After Towson scored the first goal, both teams went into halftime tied at two. Both sides kept their starting goalie; Maryland went away from the two-goalie system for the second straight game, staying with Jason Carter. Maryland went on a tear into the third quarter, scoring four goals, then held off a 3-0 run by the Tigers with a 3-1 run response that would win it.

All nine goals were scored by Maryland attacks, led by Grant Catalino's four. Tim Stratton and Justin Schneider both scored a pair. Both goalies had solid games, Carter for Maryland had seven saves and Towson's Bob Wheeler had nine.

This weekend Maryland hosts a pair of home games against in-state rival UMBC and Division I newbie Bryant. Towson will head south to play Virginia, the #1 team in the country.

Navy Tackles The Mount
The three-goal first quarter is all that #14 Navy would need, defeating Mt. St. Mary's 6-2 in Emmitsburg.

Navy only fired five shots in the first quarter, hitting three. After the two sides traded goals, the Mids had a five goal run from midway through the 1st to the final minute of the fourth quarter, having good defense the whole way.

Six different Midshipmen scored goals, with Joe Lennon having two assists added to his score. R.J. Wickham was barely tested in goal, saving three shots for Navy while allowing two.

Later in the week Navy defeated Lafayette 14-9 for their first Patriot League win and improved to 4-2. Meanwhile, the Mount could not stop Zach Greer and Bryant, losing 7-6 in a back and forth battle. The Mount are still winless at 0-3. Navy will hit the road this week against Lehigh and Holy Cross while Mt. St. Mary's will take on Manhattan.

In other lacrosse action, #16 Loyola defeated Siena, but fell to #13 Duke 11-9.

Now everyone has faced an in-state rival. Let's see how they stack up:

The Around the Harbor Lacrosse Standings Through March 8th:
(overall record, record vs. in-state teams), new Inside Lacrosse rankings
Maryland (4-1, 1-0), ranked #5
Johns Hopkins (3-1, 1-0), ranked #8
Navy (4-2, 1-0), ranked #15
Loyola (3-2, 1-0), ranked #18
UMBC (3-2, 0-1), ranked #10
Towson (1-3, 0-2)
Mt. St. Mary's (0-3, 0-1)

(Photo credit: Baltimore Sun)

Maryland Lacrosse Roundup

A big week of lacrosse as Maryland and Johns Hopkins tried to defend the state in the Face-Off Classic in M&T Bank Stadium, UMBC tries to remain unbeaten against a ranked foe, and Mt. St. Mary's started their season.
(all rankings provided by Inside Lacrosse Media Poll)

Maryland wins, Hopkins Loses in the Face-Off Classic

Maryland won a fierce battle 11-8 against conference rival Duke while Johns Hopkins got routed by Princeton 14-8 in the Face-Off Classic on Saturday.

In the first game of the Classic, #3 Johns Hopkins tried to repeat last year's performance against #11 Princeton, however the exact opposite happened. Out of the gate the Tigers unleashed a fury on the Blue Jays, leading 9-1 midway through the second quarter. Mike Gvozden was getting shelled in goal but struggled all day, not being able to make key saves. Hopkins did try to fight back but could not get close. Michael Kimmel ended with a hat trick and an assist, but this was a day Hopkins does not want to remember.

#7 Maryland got beaten by #12 Duke in nearly every category, ground balls 39-25, faceoffs 14-9, and shots 41-34, but not goals, where it mattered. After the two teams had 3-0 runs in the first half, Maryland scored two goals in six second on a 6-1 run to put them up 9-4 in the early part of the fourth quarter. Coach Dave Cottle went away from his two goalie system after Brian Phipps had a huge first half and kept him in the whole game; even second goalie Jason Carter agreed with this decision. Phipps ended with 13 saves on the day. Ryan Young had a great day, scoring a hat trick with two assists plus Grant Catalino led the way in points with six, getting two goals and four assists.

Maryland will play in-state rival Towson next weekend while Hopkins will try to regroup against in-state foe UMBC, then will return home against Hofstra during the weekend.

UMBC Stays Undefeated With Win over Colgate

#9 UMBC improved to 3-0 with a win over #19 Colgate thanks to a breakout fourth quarter and clutch defense.

Everything was even at the end of the third quarter, with Colgate keeping pace with the Retrievers. After both sides scored a goal, UMBC went on a decisive 4-0 run with goals by four different people that got them the eventual win. Colgate had their opportunities but Jeremy Blevins stood strong between the pipes, saving 13 shots plus only allowing three goals on seven extra man chances.

Attack Chris Jones and midfielder Alex Hopmann both finished with a hat trick. Midfielder Kyle Wimer ended with five points on two goals and three assists plus scooping seven ground balls.

UMBC has two home games against ranked opponents this coming week, with rival Johns Hopkins and Princeton coming to town.

Navy Comeback Halted by Buzzer Beater

Down 7-3 going into the 4th quarter, #10 Navy fought back valiantly against Bucknell to tie the game with 1:30 to go, but a final shot by Charlie Streep handed Navy the loss 8-7. Navy falls to 2-2 on the season.

Although Navy was doing fine in most aspects on the field during the game, the scoreboard was not one of them. Bucknell had a 5-1 run from the start of the 2nd to the end of the 3rd quarter to put the score at 7-3. Navy had four goals in the 4th and it looked like it would go to overtime until the last shot.

It was a team affair for Navy; no one had more than two goals. Attack Brendan Connors had two goals and two assists, both of those assists on Navy's final two scores. Attack Tim Paul also had two assists plus a goal.

Nayv has two games in the Old Line State this week, a road midweek game against Mt. St. Mary's and a home contest against Lafayette.

Loyola Survives Against Penn State

Despite a fierce comeback attempt from Penn State in the final quarter, #18 Loyola managed to hold on, winning 8-7 on the road. The team improved to 2-1 on the season.

The first half was a shutout for the Greyhounds, outshooting their opponent 20-12, scoring three in the first quarter, going into the locker room up 3-0. After both sides scored twice in the 3rd, Penn State managed five goals to Loyola's three in the final quarter and had 37 second to try to tie it, but they could not.

Attacks Cooper McDonnell and Shane Coppens ended with hat tricks. Jake Hagelin had 10 saves in the cage, though none in the last 15 minutes.

Loyola will spend next week on the road, playing Siena and Duke.

Towson Spilts Games in Denver

Playing in the Pioneer Face-Off Classic, Towson split their contests, winning against Air Force 11-9 but losing to #t-16 Denver 9-4. Towson is now 2-2 on the season.

Towson was in control for most of their match against Air Force, getting an 11-5 lead after 55 minutes of play. Air Force scored four goals in the final five minutes, but all were scored on backup freshman goalie Andrew Wascavage after replacing Bob Wheeler at around the 56 minute mark. Attack Bill McCutcheon had five goals and two assists and midfield Brock Armour had three scores plus an assist.

Towson could not deliver that success to their next game, as Denver's goalie Peter Lowell had 14 saves to hold down the Tigers. After being down 4-0 after the first 29 minutes, Towson had a 3-1 run into the third quarter, but that is the closest they would get. Four different Tigers scored in the contest, and defenseman Matt Vetter caused four turnovers.

Towson will return for their home opener against rival Maryland on Saturday.

Mt. St. Mary's Loses Opener to Virginia

Despite a valiant effort by T.C. DiBartolo in goal, Mt. St. Mary's could not stop the top team in the country, losing to UVA 10-2 in Charlottesville. They fell to 0-1 on the season.

Virginia was dominant all game, outshooting the Mount 60-16 (50-7 through 45 minutes) and not allowing a goal until the final quarter. DiBartolo saved 21 shots in the game and held some of the best shooters in the game scoreless, but it was too much in the end. Cody Lehrer and Keith McKinley each scored a goal early in the 4th quarter.

The Mountaineers will play two home games next week, a matchup with Navy then a Sunday matinee with Bryant.

The Around the Harbor Lacrosse Standings Through March 1st:
(overall record, record vs. in-state teams), new Inside Lacrosse rankings
--Loyola (2-1, 1-0), ranked #16
--UMBC (3-0, 0-0), ranked #8
--Maryland (3-1, 0-0), ranked #6
--Johns Hopkins (1-1, 0-0), ranked #7
--Navy (2-2, 0-0), ranked #14

--Mt. St. Mary's (0-1, 0-0)

--Towson (1-2, 0-1), received votes

(Photo credit: Baltimore Sun)

Maryland Lacrosse Roundup of the Week

Our first interstate matchup ends in a close one as Towson heads to Loyola, the highest ranked team loses to its cross-town rival, and Johns Hopkins begins their season.

Loyola Takes Down Towson
Thanks to a very strong first three quarters, #16 Loyola earned their first win of the season, taking down Towson 11-8 in Baltimore. Loyola improves to 1-1, and Towson loses their first game of the season.

Loyola started strong, shutting out Towson 4-0 in the first quarter. Towson responded with two goals to start the second, but a 5-1 run into the third by the Greyhounds would be enough to win it in the end. Towson scored five of their goals in the final quarter, including the final three goals scored in the game.

Collin Finnerty once again led the way for the Greyhounds, scoring four goals mainly on hard shots, equal what he did last week against Notre Dame. Jimmy Daly's goal through a double team was the fourth goal in the first quarter. Freshmen Matt Lamon and Sean Maguire both scored two goals for the Tigers. Bob Wheeler did all right against the Loyola offense, but an own goal and constant shots were too much for him.

Loyola begins ECAC play next Saturday as they head up to Penn State. Towson will head to Denver for the Pioneer Face-Off Classic and will take on Denver and Air Force.

Maryland Upset by Georgetown
#3 Maryland got beaten in their home opener against rival #8 Georgetown, losing 13-10 after a devastating second half. Maryland falls to 2-1.

Maryland went into the locker room up 6-5 after fighting back from an early 2-0 deficit, highlighted by Jeremy Sieverts hat trick, but things went downhill for the Terps after that. Maryland switched to Brian Phipps in goal for Jason Carter. After an exchange of goals, the Hoyas went on a 6-0 run going into the fourth quarter over a span of 16 minutes to make the score 12-7 in favor of Georgetown. Maryland tried to fight back, but could not get back within reach.

After getting 10 points last week, Will Yeatman was nowhere to be found, handled well by the Georgetown defense. The offense was all done by the midfield, with Dan Groot and Jeff Reynolds adding two goals each to Sieverts's three. Grant Catalino also added two.

Maryland will now get ready for Inside Lacrosse's Konica Minolta Face-Off Classic as they take on ACC rival Duke on Saturday.

Johns Hopkins Defense Smashes Siena
Despite a slow first half, the #4 Blue Jays opened their season strong with an 11-3 win over Siena thanks to a shutout defense in the final three quarters.

For 15 minutes, it seemed as if the Saints would be a problem for the Baltimore squad. Siena was up 3-2 at the end of the first quarter, but Hopkins took the lead into the locker room 4-3. Steven Boyle then went off, scoring three of his four second half goals in the third quarter to add to his two assists from earlier. The third quarter was all Hopkins, holding Siena shotless 13-0.

Kyle Wharton scored a hat trick to add to Boyle's six points. Mike Gvozden didn't have much to do after the first quarter, but got eight saves while only allowing three goals.

Johns Hopkins will play in the first game of the Konica Minolta Face-Off Classic on Saturday as they take on Princeton.

Navy Can't Hold Off UNC's Late Surge
A dogfight between two ranked teams ended in #6 North Carolina victory over #9 Navy 9-8 in Chapel Hill. The Mids get handed their first loss of the season, falling to 2-1.

It was a game of runs, starting with a 3-0 run in the first six minutes by the Tar Heels. The Mids countered with a 5-1 run from the middle of the first quarter to the beginning of the third, with Tim Paul scoring the first and last goal of the run, putting the Mids up 5-4. UNC responded with another 3-0 run in just three minutes. Navy got back a one-goal lead with a 3-0 run, taking the lead in the fourth quarter 8-7. The lead would only last a few minutes, as UNC got two goals from Sean Delaney and held on to win 9-8.

Brendan Connors added two goals to Paul's three. Matt Coughlin was great defensively, with six saves, but in the end the UNC offense was too much. One of the big problems was faceoffs; Navy only won four of the 21.

Navy will head north to take on Bucknell next Saturday.

UMBC Runs Down Rutgers
#11 UMBC scored at least five goals in the final three quarters to take down Rutgers 17-10 in their home opener. The Retrievers are on a good start, improving to 2-0.

The Scarlet Knights shot very accurately in the beginning, taking an early 5-3 lead in the middle of the second quarter. Then the UMBC shots hit their marks, going on a 6-0 run then later a seperate 7-1 run after a Rutgers goal. Rutgers was only 14-23 on clears, helping UMBC got some valuable time on offense.

Peet Pollion led the way with seven points off four goals and three assists. Kyle Wimer got three goals plus an assist. Jeremy Blevins played well, sacing 11 shots in his play, which was just under 55 minutes.

UMBC will stay home this week and prepare for Colgate on Saturday.

As the games continue, we will keep track of how Maryland teams do against each other. Our rankings will be based on play in the state.
(overall record, in-state record), current rankings by Inside Lacrosse
The Around the Harbor Lacrosse Standings:
--Loyola (1-1 overall, 1-0 in-state), ranked #18
--UMBC (2-0), ranked #9
--Johns Hopkins (1-0), ranked #3
--Maryland (2-1), ranked #7
--Navy (2-1), ranked #10
--Mt. St. Mary's (0-0)
--Towson (0-1, 0-1), received votes

Maryland Lacrosse Roundup

It is officially lacrosse season and the state of Maryland is ready to rock with lacrosse fever. This is one of the few states that has a good mix of teams, from the national contenders in Johns Hopkins and Maryland, and the tournament contenders in UMBC, Towson, Loyola, and Navy. Every year, the NCAA Tournament has at least three teams from Maryland plus they place one of the quarterfinal sites here.

It is really the one state where lacrosse rules; every other state has a more popular sport, but not the Old Line State. So without further ado, how did the teams Around the Harbor do over the weekend?

(Note: All ranking courtesy of Inside Lacrosse)

--Maryland Wins Two in the Sunshine State
Playing for "Face-Off For A Cause," #3 Maryland took down Presbyterian 18-3 then Air Force 15-4 the next day. Maryland now sits at 2-0 to start the season.

The Terps welcomed in attack Will Yeatman, transfer from Notre Dame, who scored 10 points over the weekend to combine with Grant Catalino's eight. Maryland's starting attack core still is not clear, as Ryan Young and Travis Reed, both starters last year, started one of the games, but did not play the other. Joe Cummings is also seeing time, getting a goal in each contest.

Maryland is continuing the two-goalie system of senior Jason Carter and Brian Phipps, and it worked very well this weekend. Both had a win; Phipps allowed three goals with ten saves in 60 minutes, Carter allowed four goals with nine saves in 60 minutes. This system did well last season, and it seems as if it will continue into this year.

Maryland will take on their cross-town rival Georgetown on Saturday in College Park.

Navy Defeats the Buckeyes
The #9 Midshipmen defeated #19 Ohio State in the fashion Navy's likes it, a drawn-out defensive battle 8-6. With this win Navy improves to 2-0 on the season.

The Buckeyes scored twice in the final two minutes of the third quarter to pull within one 7-6, but the Navy defense held their opponents to no goals in the final 15 minutes. Matt Coughlin stood strong in goals saving six shots and longpole Andy Tormey caused four turnovers in the victory. The first quarter was also a shutout 15 minutes for Navy.

Though Ohio State shot more, 33-26, Navy's shots were more accurate, 20 shots on goals to Ohio State's 12. Brendan Connors and Bruce Nechanicky scored twice each and Andy Warner notched three assists.

Navy will have their toughest matchup of the season thus far when they take on North Carolina on Friday night.

UMBC Roasts the Blue Hens
Thanks to powerful midfield play and a destructive 6-0 first quarter, #T-10 UMBC defeated Delaware 14-9 on the road, winning their first game of the season.

Kyle Wimer led the way with five goals as the first midfield of Wimer, Alex Hopmann, and Ohio State transfer Peet Poillon combined for nine goals. Attack Matt Latham also added three goals in an overall strong offensive performance.

Jeremy Blevins once again stood strong for the Retrievers. He had 14 saves in the contest and did enough to hold off any chance of Delaware coming back in this game. Only one Delaware player got multiple goals, that being Curtis Dickson with five.

UMBC will host Rutgers on Saturday in Baltimore.

Loyola Falls to Notre Dame in Georgia
The #17 Greyhounds fought hard, but in the end fell to the #T-10 Fighting Irish 10-9 in Atlanta. The Greyhounds fall to 0-1 to start the season.

At one point, Loyola was up 5-3 after a four-goal run and had the game tied at nine, but Dulaney High School grad Ryan Hoff scored the game winner in the middle of the fourth quarter to win it. Jake Hagelin had defended well between the pipes all game with 15 saves, but it was too much in the end.

Collin Finnerty ended with four goals, his highest ever in a college game, while also adding an assist. Jimmy Daly added a pair of scores.

The Greyhounds will return to Baltimore and play Towson next week.

The Around the Harbor lacrosse standings:
--Maryland (2-0), ranked #3
--Navy (2-0), ranked #9
--UMBC (1-0), ranked #11
--Johns Hopkins (0-0), ranked #4
--Towson (0-0)
--Mt. St. Mary's (0-0)
--Loyola (0-1), ranked #16

MLS Draft on January 15th: Many Terps Looking to Get Drafted

The 2009 MLS SuperDraft will be on January 15th at 2:00 PM ET in St. Louis, and many Maryland players fresh off their national championship run are looking to get drafted, including the senior class plus some underclassmen chosen as Generation Adidas players, which means they forfeit their college eligibility so they can play in the MLS and get scholarships to college if they don't make it in the pros, as well as they don't count as being on an MLS roster. With the draft coming up in a few days, where will some of the Terps get drafted?

MLSDraft.net has done solid coverage of the upcoming draft, and is worth a look. Also check out our favorite soccer blog Pro Player Pipeline for player analysis. Predictions will be updated as they come.

Omar Gonzalez- Jr. Defender, Generation Adidas
A 6'5'' central defender that also has scoring abilities, Gonzalez is the most highly sought after back in this year's draft. He was the two-time ACC Defensive Player of the Year. No doubt he will go high. ATH Prediction: 2nd or 3rd overall.
MLS Draft.net: "Gonzalez is strong, composed and just a beast in the air." Prediction: 2nd overall to Toronto FC.
UPDATE: 1/13/09: MLSDraft.net now has Gonzalez going #1 overall to the Seattle Sounders.

Jeremy Hall- Jr. Midfield/Forward, Generation Adidas
A quick player that can also play forward if necessary, Hall is a solid corner midfielder that can anchor an attacking formation. He had one of his strongest years this season, scoring 14 goals, including six game-winners. ATH Prediction: 4th-6th overall.
MLS Draft.net: "He has the speed, the size and the ability to be a force down the wings." Prediction: 5th overall to FC Dallas.
UPDATE: 1/13/09: MLSDraft.net now has Hall going #14 overall to the New York Red Bull.

Rodney Wallace- So. Midfield/Defender, Generation Adidas
A solid all-around player that can solidify a wide back position or at corner midfield, Wallace has good speed and shooting abilities. He moved to the back line in his sophomore season to help solidify Maryland's defense, but his speed could make him a better midfielder. ATH Prediction: 5th-7th overall.
MLSDraft.net: "An attacking left fullback who loves to get forward and he can help the offense out with his speed." Prediction: 7th overall to D.C. United.
UPDATE: 1/13/09: MLSDraft.net still has Wallace going #7 to D.C. United.

Graham Zusi- Sr. Midfield
Zusi saw his draft status skyrocket after getting both of Maryland's goals and subsquently game-winning goals in the College Cup. He is an all-around decent central midfielder, nothing extraordinary, but decent speed and shooting ability. Can also play forward. ATH Prediction: Middle 2nd round.
MLSDraft.net: "In a season where you could say Maryland is rebuilding, Graham Zuzi doesn’t seem to have a problem making his team tick."
UPDATE: 1/15/09: MLSDraft.net predicts Zusi will go in the 2nd round, 28th overall to the Chicago Fire.

A.J. Delagarza- Sr. Defender
Delagarza was a four-year starter at central defender for Maryland, though his small size will likely push him wide. He has decent speed, though he will need to improve to be a starter in the MLS. ATH Prediction: Middle 4th Round.
MLSDraft.net: "If he can make the transition to a full back or a defensive midfielder I can see him play in the MLS."
UPDATE 1/15/09: MLSDraft.net predicts Delagarza will go in the 2nd round, 24th overall to the New England Revolution.

For other Maryland seniors, including Rich Constanzo and Michael Marchiano, they have not entered the draft.

And for non-Terps players that play around here:
Milos Kocic- Jr. Goalkeeper (Loyola)
Kocic at 6'5'' is a tall, athletic keeper that has great speed in the cage, making solid dives into corners. Some teams may be worried about drafting him due to overall lack of competition while at Loyola, but physically he has the tools to be a solid MLS keeper. ATH Prediction: Late 3rd Round.

As the draft nears, we will update the coverage in the draft, so check back here for updates.
UPDATE: 1/15/09: Five Terps plus Kocic got drafted in the first 23 picks today in the MLS SuperDraft.
--3rd overall, Los Angeles Galaxy: Omar Gonzalez
--6th overall, D.C. United: Rodney Wallace
--11th overall, New York Red Bulls: Jeremy Hall
--19th overall, Los Angeles Galaxy: A.J. Delagarza
--21st overall, D.C. United: Milos Kocic
--23rd overall, Kansas City Wizards: Graham Zusi

Congrats to everyone here, and good luck in the MLS.

(Photo credit: Matt Slocum, AP)

Soccer Outlook: Maryland Wins ACC, Loyola Loses First Game, NCAA Selection Tomorrow

Quite the weekend for soccer teams in the Old Line State.

#5 Maryland won their third ACC Championship with a 1-nil victory over Virginia on Sunday. The Terps played as the 2-seed and expected to take on 1-seed Wake Forest, but the Deacs lost their first every games to the Cavaliers in the semifinals. The lone goal was scored by Jeremy Hall in the first two minutes, and goalie Zac MacMath did not allow a goal in all three games. With their three wins this week, Maryland may break the top-3 in the rankings.


Meanwhile, #6 Loyola lost their first game of the season, losing 1-nil to Fairfield in the MAAC Championship. The Stags scored in the 26th minute, and despite the Greyhounds pressuring in the second half, they were unable to get the equalizer.

So with the selection show today, how do the state's teams fare? 48 teams make the NCAA Tournament, including 22 automatic qualifiers from conference champions and 26 at-large bids. The top-16 teams are seeded and receive a first-round bye, while the bottom 32 must play.

I will be mentioning some possible teams in the DC/Northern Virginia area as well. In this tournament and in the current economy, many of the early matchups are localized. Last season, Maryland and Loyola met up in the Round of 32. So, chances are teams close by will play each other in the first couple rounds. Until the Final Four, games are played at campus sites hosted by the higher seed in each contest.

Maryland Terrapins (#5, 18-3-0, 6-2-0 ACC, ACC Champion AQ)
--Key wins: UCLA, North Carolina (twice), Virginia (twice), Boston College (twice)
The ACC has won two of the last three national championships, Maryland winning in 2005. Because of automatic qualifier rules, the Terps are already in the tournament, though that was not an issue anyway. With the conference victory, a top-4 seed will almost certainly be given to Maryland. This will mean the Terps can play at home until the Final Four, a huge advantage.

Loyola Greyhounds (#6, 18-1-1, 9-0 MAAC, MAAC runner-up)
--Key win: Campbell
Loyola is going to be hard to predict. On the one hand, they had an undefeated regular season record. On the other, they had a very easy strength of schedule and did not win the conference championship. They played nobody currently ranked; Campbell had 2 votes in the last poll (#25 Butler had 52, to compare). Based on last season, I believe they will get one of the 16 seeds, but not a top-8 seed. Coach Mettrick has Milos Kocic one more year if he decides to stay; he needs to get harder teams on the schedule next season.

Georgetown Hoyas (11-5-3, 5-3-3 Big East)
The Hoyas have had a good season, led by the senior forward Peter Grasso with seven goals. They don't have a win against a ranked team and were ranked themselves earlier in the season, but they have played close against other ranked teams including Connecticut, Notre Dame, and South Florida. The problem is, normally wins are all that matters to the committee. If the Hoyas make it, they will likely play a first round game on the road, but their record should be enough to get them in.

George Mason Patriots (13-6-2, 6-4-1 CAA, CAA Champion AQ)
--Key win: Tulsa
The Patriots will head to the NCAA after winning the crazy CAA championship, the last of seven straight victories. Led by senior forward Kwame Adjeman-Pamboe, who has nine goals and six assists, GM had very few big name teams on the schedule, but they had a big upset win of Tulsa, currently #7 in the country. With that win and their current winning streak, they could get a first round game at home, but they will play in the first round.

After Maryland, Loyola, and George Mason, only Georgetown has the opportunity to make the tournament in the local area. The selection comes out tonight from the NCAA.

(Photo credit: Maryland athletics (ACC trophy), Loyola athletics (Kocic))

#6 Loyola Soccer Ends Season Undefeated

The Loyola Greyhounds were hard pressed to improve upon last year's 19-3-1 record. But they did. With their 5-nil shutout of Rider last Saturday, they completed their undefeated regular season, going 17-0-1. If they can win the MAAC Championship, they will go into the NCAA Tournament undefeated. They are one of only two teams to finish the regular season without a loss, the other being #1 Wake Forest.

Their run has been about the keeper. Milos Kocic, a leading candidate for best goalie in the NCAA, who has been stellar this year. Despite that he may have been battling injury during the start of the season, Kocic still only allowed 11 goals in 18 contests, including 10 shutouts. The 6'4'' keeper from Serbia is sure to be a fine player in the pros.

But Coach Mark Mettrick's team has also benefited from other international players. Jamie Darvill and Phil Bannister from England have been key contributors on offense.

But the question now is, how good is this team? As mentioned before the season, Loyola's schedule was full of teams that aren't ranked. Even though they finished undefeated, it is hard to gage Loyola's talent. Two teams they faced, Niagara and Campbell, received three and one vote respectively in the 11/4 coaches poll, and qualify as the hardest opponents Loyola has faced. Both were 1-nil victories for the Greyhounds. They may have to face Niagara again in MAAC Tournament, but Loyola has not had a matchup against a top-20 team.

If they win the MAAC, they will get a good seed in the tournament. But the lack of a difficult schedule could really hurt Loyola's chances at winning the whole thing. But, with the tendency of the NCAA to regionalize teams in the early going of the tournament, wouldn't it be interesting to see #5 Maryland and #6 Loyola rematch? That could be a tremendous game.

As always, Joe Mauceri has some great info on Loyola in his blog, Pro Player Pipeline. Check out his thoughts on Loyola here.

(Photo credits: Loyola athletics)

2008 NCAA Men's Soccer Preview

The 2008 NCAA men's soccer season is about to kick off next weekend, and the state of Maryland has some solid teams in the mix. Maryland and Loyola look to head back to the NCAA Tournament while a few others try get in after missing it last year. Let's preview the top-5 teams in the Old Line State.


Maryland Terrapins (#3 in College Soccer News)

-Last season: 10-6-5, fell in round of 16 to Bradley 3-2, 2OT

-Formation: 4-4-2, diamond midfield (Joe Mauceri, College Soccer News)

-Starters returning: 9

-Key loss: Stephen King (four-year starting midfield, 2 G, 13 A)

-Head Coach: Sasho Cirovski (15th season)

The 2005 national champion had yet another heartbreaking loss in the round of 16, losing to Bradley 3-2 in double overtime after being up 2-0 with less than three minutes to go. Now with the #1 recruiting class in the nation with only two starters lost, the ACC powerhouse looks to make a title run.

Strengths

-Depth: Maryland lost only two starters and gains three of the top-10 recruits in the country. Add that redshirt sophomore Jason Herrick and sophomore Kevin Tangney are returning from injury, this Terps team is full of talent.

-The Back Line: Despite the loss of four-year starter Stephen King, Maryland brings back three back line two-year starters, pre-season All-American junior Omar Gonzalez (pictured), senior Rich Costanzo, and senior A.J. Delagarza. Sean Flatley has also shown promise as a defender.

Weaknesses

-Goalie: Will Swaim was the reason Maryland lost to Bradley in the NCAAs last season, allowing two goals in the final three minutes of regulation. The top goalkeeping prospect in the country, Zac MacMath, is in Maryland, but a lot of questions come between the pipes for the Terps.

-Go-to scorer: The primary problem last season for the Terps. Senior attack Graham Zusi (6 G, 6 A) and sophomore midfielder Rodney Wallace (6, 1) will need to step up with Herrick to score goals. Depth isn't an issue, but Maryland needs a solid scorer for difficult matches.

Loyola Greyhounds (#28 in College Soccer News)

-Last season: 19-3-1, MAAC Champion, fell in round of 32 to Maryland, 0-0 (4-2 PK)

-Formation: 3-5-2

-Starters returning: 8

-Key loss: Julian Cantillo (two-year starting midfield, 9 assists)

-Head Coach: Mark Mettrick (8th season)

The Greyhounds had the advantage in penalty kicks vs. Maryland in the NCAAs, but couldn't seal the deal. This deadly defensive squad with solid international players may be ranked only #28, but they look to show the soccer world what a shut-down defense can do.

Strengths

-Defense: Junior Milos Kocic (pictured) could be the best goalie in the country. With junior defender Tennent McVea, who with Kocic is on the Hermann Trophy Watch List, Loyola had 17 shutouts last season, including 14 of their final 15 contests. Kocic allowed only 0.47 goals per game last year.

-Shooting: The two English sophomores Phil Bannister and Eddie Dines combined for 22 goals last season. With Kocic's cannon leg and their speed, counters and fast breaks are a strong strategy for the Greyhounds.

Weaknesses

-Strength of Schedule: Loyola isn't playing anyone in CSN's preseason top-30. While this could change depend on changes in that top-30, this isn't going to help the Greyhounds. They will need to be solid nearly every game and/or win the tournament to gain favor with the NCAA committee.

-Midfield play: Because Loyola plays quick strike offense, other midfielders can gain an advantage by slowing it down in the middle. With Cantillo graduated, Dines and company will need to step up play or allow other teams numerous shots from the midfield.

Towson Tigers

-Last season: 12-7-2

-Formation: likely 4-4-1-1 (Joe Mauceri, College Soccer News)

-Starters returning: 6 (only nine full-time starters last season)

-Key losses: Bill Chiles (goalie, 1.00 GAA), Pat Healey (midfield, 8 goals, 9 assists)

-Head Coach: Frank Olszewski (26th season)

Towson was very close to making the NCAA Tournament, losing in PKs to Old Dominion in the CAA Championship. The Tigers will have to deal with big losses, including their All-American goalie and leading scorer, but they have a number of players with experience. Maryland transfer Matt Beckman and senior Cesar Cisneros both scored five goals last season and upstart sophomore Scott Horta will lead the defense.

UMBC Retrievers

-Last season: 8-7-5

-Formation: 4-4-2

-Starters returning: 8

-Key losses: Bryan Moffa (defender, 5 assists), Philippe Bissohong (defender)

-Head Coach: Pete Caringi (18th season)

Despite a solid 8-4-3 start, UMBC couldn't win its last five contests, keeping them away from the NCAAs. Senior Steve King only allowed 0.72 per game, but UMBC will need to replace its two solid defenders they lost in graduation. All four players who scored at least three goals last season, including senior Kevin Gnatiko (4 goals, 4 assists) and junior Andrew Gillis (5,2) return.

Navy Midshipmen

-Last season: 7-8-2

-Formation: 4-4-2

-Starters returning: 3

-Key losses: two goalkeepers, Doug DeVueno (forward, 4 goals)

-Head Coach: Rich Miranda (4th season)

Despite a win against ranked-West Virginia, an 0-7 conference record kept Navy out of contention for the NCAAs. A major rebuilding effort will be needed with only three starting returning. But the Mids do return two of their offensive catalysts, senior forward Adam Pennington (4 goals) and junior midfield Mark Garcia (1 goal, 5 assists).

You can check out the College Soccer News preseason top-30 and mini-previews of those teams here.

(Photo credits: University of Maryland (Gonzalez), Loyola College (Kocic)