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.

Awaiting the Committee: Men's Lacrosse NCAA

Tonight the NCAA Tournament Committee will be releasing the men's lacrosse bracket for this year's contest. The state of Maryland will be well represented, however where will this year's teams land?
(all stats/games courtesy of Inside Lacrosse)

Johns Hopkins
The Blue Jays always have a strong schedule and do well enough to earn a seed in the tournament despite being independent, and this year should be no different. Currently at 9-4 with their biggest wins against the entire state of Maryland, this will likely mean a low seed. But that has never slowed down the Hop, as the postseason always is game time for Dave Pietramala's team.

This year has been like most years, a slow start with a rousing finish. After starting the season 3-4, they have won their last six contests including three ranked foes, Maryland, Loyola, and Navy. Kyle Wharton (pictured) has led the way with 31 goals including four game winners and Michael Gvozden has been strong in the cage as has been tested for tournament play, as five of their games have been within one goal.

UMBC Retrievers

UMBC survived two scares during the America East tournament, needing overtime to defeat Binghamton and later defeating Stony Brook, but nonetheless Don Zimmerman's squad is locked into the tournament with the automatic qualifier. The 12-3 team's biggest wins are against Maryland and Colgate, and probably will not earn a seed in the tournament.

The key to this team is the senior-filled first midfield, and the team needs them to play well. Kyle Wimer (pictured), Alex Hopmann, and Peet Poillon are the three leaders in scoring, all having above 35 points. If this unit can play well with Jeremy Blevins defending the cage, this team could surprise a few people. Add to the point that this squad has a number of starting seniors that will be playing their last tournament.

Navy Midshipmen

Any game with Navy will be a hard fight to the end. The Mids are 11-4, earning the Patriot League automatic qualifier with two one-goal wins. They have wins against Maryland, Colgate, and Bucknell to their resume. Richie Meade has a strong squad that has had eight games within one or two goals, but also probably will not earn a seed. But if Navy can win their first game, then their quarterfinal game will be a home game as the regional is at Navy.

Tommy Phelan (pictured) has stepped up his game lately in the cage, and the offense is balanced with five players scoring at least 20 points this year. Any game with Navy will be a close one, and Phelan will give the Mids a good chance.

Maryland Terrapins

It has been a rough year for the Terps, going from #3 preseason to 9-6 on the year, but at the very least they will get a chance in the tournament barring something strange from the committee. Their biggest wins are against North Carolina and Duke. Dave Cottle's team has a lot of talent and has made a number of big games close. Maryland will have to be happy with playing their first game on the road, something they haven't done since 2002.

Maryland has plenty of young talent in the attack core, led by Grant Catalino, Will Yeatman and Ryan Young (pictured), plus the two-goalie system of Brian Phipps and Jason Carter may be employed. It'll be rough for Maryland, but they have taken some strong teams to the brink, so their talent could be dangerous.

Both Towson and Loyola had chances to make the tournament, but they will likely not make the bracket. Towson lost in the CAA final to Villanova and Loyola needed a victory against Hopkins, but the Greyhounds fell in overtime. But the tournament will be a great one, and with four teams the state will have a good shot to get a team to the Final Four in Boston. The bracket will be released at 9:00 PM tonight.

(Photo credit: JHU athletics (Wharton), Inside Lacrosse (Wimer), Navy athletics (Phelan), Maryland athletics (Young))

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

Bayhawks Moving North to Annapolis

Inside Lacrosse's John Jiloty is reporting that the Washington Bayhawks are moving to Annapolis. They will play at Navy-Marine Corps Stadium in Annapolis, home of Navy football and lacrosse. This will mark the sixth stadium the Bayhawks will call home at one point. They had previously played at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, but they played one game in Annapolis this year, their highest attendance draw all year with 5,792. The average attendance at a game in Fairfax was just over four thousand.

Other home stadiums that the Bayhawks have played home games in the past include Homewood Field in Baltimore, M&T Bank Stadium, Johnny Unitas Stadium in Towson, the Multi-Sport Field in Georgetown, and George Mason according to Jiloty.

I was at the Bayhawks-Cannons game this past summer in Annapolis, and it was a great showing. The stadium's lots has plenty of room for tailgating and the stadium itself had plenty of places for activities for all ages, including fields for kids to run around and a beer tent on the upper level so people can go drink some beer and enjoy the game.

I admit I've never been to George Mason, so I don't know how they hosted Bayhawks games, but since the Annapolis game was the highest attended home game for the Bayhawks this past season, I can't imagine it is a better atmosphere. But mainly, it is a little odd that a team that calls itself Washington plays in Virginia. It is different with other professional teams, like the New York Giants being in New Jersey, because pro lacrosse doesn't have a lot of popularity and putting a Washington team in Virginia just seems a little odd.

But I like this move. By putting the team in Annapolis, you are able to put the team is reasonable proximity with the Washington and Baltimore markets plus Annapolis has a pro team they can call their own. It is a real shame that the Bayhawks franchise has had so much trouble staying in one place, especially because Baltimore is the capital of lacrosse, but maybe this will work out better for them.

(Photo credit: Major League Lacrosse)

Free Kicks

The baseball playoffs are upon us, and I had forgotten how exciting these games can be. A friend of mine who is notoriously quiet and self controlled fell to his knees in anguish and agony as Jim Edmonds' would-be home run was caught at the warning track late in Game 1 of the Cubs-Dodgers series (he's from Chicago, can you tell?). I just want the Red Sox gone, if the Angels pull that off I don't care if the O's get Teixiera or not. Windsor and Falco are still recuperating, so I hope you won't mind a few non-Michigan throughts to wrap up your week. Right now I think Falco is so sick he couldn't even line up for the kick...

Consolation Prizes

Bronco Mendenhall, coach of the BYU Cougar football team, has fired the first shot across the bow at the BCS this season, claiming that even if BYU goes undefeated they might not make a BCS bowl game. However, his problem should not be with the BCS, but with the pollsters who refuse to give any non-major conference team a chance to take home that hideous crystal football at the end of the season. Mendenhall is mistaken in my opinion- they will let BYU in a BCS game, just not the BCS championship game. BCS bowl games are the perfect outlet to maintain the status quo- they can claim to give the mid-major conference a legitimate shot without ever giving them a chance to win it all. How can a mid-major complain about being in a BCS bowl game? They can’t, which is exactly the point. Throwing a bone to the occasional mid-major keeps these conferences quiet, taking the teeth out of the argument that they aren’t given a shot to compete. Sure, BYU won the national title in 1984, but that was through the polls. With the competitive nature of college football nowadays, there is no way BYU, Utah, Boise State or any school like them goes to the big game. Not yet. Any system in which a team can go undefeated while taking on a decent non-conference schedule and have no chance at the National Championship is flawed- somehow, someway it is. Playoff? I don’t know. But it is October 3rd, and the annual skirmish is already on.

The Curse of the “Not Good Enough”

I am tired of curses. Billy Goats, Bambinos, Jeffrey Maier (in 20 years you know we will be hearing it), and anything else sportswriters come up with. Teams lose because of poor management and bad decisions, not because of a single bad play. The Cubs have put together a solid team by making astute free agent signings (I don’t care what people say, Alfonso Soriano is worth it) and trading to get the players they need (Rich Harden has worked out great so far). A curse didn’t make the Orioles sign Albert Belle, and it didn’t make the Red Sox throw Buckner out on the field with his bum legs. A curse didn’t make the Cubs let Greg Maddox go off to free agency over a paltry $4 million in 1992(and win the next 3 Cy Youngs with the Braves). The fact of the matter is that these teams that have experienced long droughts of success have done so because they failed in the greater scheme of general management. The righteous sense of moral superiority that pervaded among Red Sox fans before they won the World Series was based on their pride of what was essentially a baseball team that choked and wasn’t good enough. It has since been replaced by a righteous sense of moral superiority for having stunk once upon a time. Curses and hexes and any other voodoo is an easy scapegoat (no pun intended) for a losing product on the field, but at the end of the day no billy-goats are stopping Carlos Zambrano from finding the strike zone.

How Good is Navy?

Even better than you think. This was supposed to be the easiest transition year in college football, with new head coach Ken Niumatalolo taking over right where Paul Johnson left off, minus a few key skill position players in Reggie Campbell and Adam Ballard. The defense was still shaky, leaving Navy fans hoping that perhaps a change in scheme could allow Navy to hold onto a lead and keep the pressure on the opposition. With their win over Wake Forest, Navy’s defense took a giant leap forward. Wake’s offense has never been known to put up huge numbers, but has always confused opponents enough to score when it absolutely had to. I was at the Maryland-Wake Forest game a couple years ago when Maryland failed to seal up a bowl berth as it allowed misdirection to exhaust their lumbering defense as they were gashed for 300+ yards on the ground. Navy stepped up last week and the defense managed just enough to keep Wake in check as they rallied in the second half.

Sure, Navy stands at only 3-2, but there are definite signs of improvement. With Duke at 3-1 Navy’s loss doesn’t look as bad anymore, and neither does Navy’s 12 point loss to currently undefeated Ball State. If Air Force’s ground game can be limited in the same way Wake’s was last week, Navy could have a much easier time shutting down the passing game that has only mustered 57.1 yards per game. Coach Niumatalolo had a rough start, but better times are on the way for the Midshipmen.

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)