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After its biggest win of the season against undefeated No. 1 Penn State, Maryland men’s lacrosse must reset quickly and take on No. 5 Albany.
This game was originally scheduled more than a month ago, but severe snow storms in the northeast postponed this to a midweek matchup. This was already a tough matchup for the Terps, considering the Great Danes boast the highest scoring offense in the country. Now, they’ll be tasked with doing so on just three days rest.
The Great Danes have been one of college lacrosse’s most elite programs over the last couple of years. They rose to national prominence with the emergence of brothers Miles and Lyle Thompson, two Native American brothers who combined for nearly 700 points in their time at Albany. Since their departure, the team has continued the high-octane style of play they brought.
This will be the eighth ranked opponent in Maryland’s schedule, as head coach John Tillman is out to show that two game skid earlier in the season is a mere blip on the radar.
Game Info:
When and where: Wednesday April 12, Casey Stadium in Albany N.Y., 4 p.m. ET
How to watch: ESPN3
Albany Great Danes (9-1)
Head coach: Scott Marr. One of the only coaches in program history, Marr was hired when the team made its transition to Division I. In his 17 seasons with the Great Danes, he’s led the team to seven conference titles and eight NCAA Tournament appearances. He’s still looking for the team’s first national title appearance, and he’s got a talented enough squad to do so.
Players to Know
No. 5 Connor Fields, junior, attack. A USILA Third Team All-American and Tewaaraton award nominee, the junior has established himself as arguably the most gifted offensive player in the country. He leads the nation in goals per game with 3.89, and has 35 total on the season.
No. 3 TD Ierlan, freshman, faceoff. The Victor, N.Y., native will be the second freshman phenom the Terps go against at the ‘X.’ Boasting a .718 winning percentage, he leads all freshmen and is second in the country. Maryland’s faceoff unit has been hitting its stride as of late after moving towards a committee style of play, but Ierlan will be a tough test.
Strength
Scoring. The Great Danes are the highest-scoring team in the country. They average 16.4 goals per game and outscore their opponents by an average of 7.5. It’ll be an interesting matchup against a Maryland team that’s found a renewed offense, having scored 15 goals in each of the last three games.
Weakness
Causing turnovers. For a team as highly ranked as the Great Danes, they’re surprisingly bad at disrupting offenses and causing turnovers. Averaging just 5.33 per game, that puts them as the tenth worst in Division I.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story was published in March before the originally scheduled game.