Division I Men :      April 14, 2001 [ The Game Story]
Maryland 10 Johns Hopkins 9 Scoring: Scoring: Andrew Combs Daniel Lamonica Chris Malone Craig Hochstadt Mike Mollot Michael Howley Alex Poole Mike Lamonica (2, 3) (3, 1) (2, 2) (1, 0) (0, 1) (0, 1) (1, 0) (1, 0) Bobby Benson Eric Wedin Joe Mcdermott Corey Harned Rob Frattarola Adam Doneger Conor Denihan Shawn Nadelen (4, 1) (3, 0) (0, 2) (1, 1) (0, 1) (0, 1) (1, 0) (0, 1) Saves: Saves: Pat Mcginnis 21  (0.700) Rob Scherr 8  (0.444) Current Record :     (9-1) Current Record :     (5-3) Team Page For 2001 Team Page For 2001       The Game Story:

The No. 5 Maryland Terrapins defeated bitter rival No. 2 Johns Hopkins 10-9 at Byrd Stadium in front of 7,219 spectators Saturday night. The Terps received an outstanding performance from goalie Pat McGinnis who recorded 21 saves. Senior Captain Chris Malone also stepped up with two goals and two assists as well as some big ground balls. Malone was pumped after the game, “Every season it’s the biggest game on our schedule. This is the biggest win I’ve had with Maryland lacrosse. You come to Maryland to play Hopkins.”

Maryland got the scoring started with Buggs Combs who got up after being drilled while setting a pick to catch a feed from Dan LaMonica and score. Hopkins answered a minute and a half later with Conor Denihan shooting a hard shot top right on extra-man after a cross check call against freshman Chris Passavia. Maryland had the next two goals to go up 3-1. Craig Hochstadt got his fourth goal of the year on a Chris Malone pass while man-up. Then Malone scored himself with a tough shot on the run. The assist went to Combs, his second of the season despite having 33 goals. Hopkins answered with two goals to close out the quarter and tie the score. Bobby Benson converted a great look from Adam Doneger cross crease while man-up. Then Eric Wedin, who was doing a great job with face-offs scored driving right and shooting opposite stick side low.

The second quarter was quiet offensively which is expected when you have two of the top seven defensive teams in Division I men’s lacrosse. Maryland had an empty net opportunity after JHU goalie was taken down behind but the shot hit a Hopkins defenseman. Rob Frattarola had a clean shot from 10 yards out but Maryland goalie McGinnis ate it up. The Terps were able to put one up with 7:06 left in the half when Alex Poole drove the goal-line and shot, Hopkins goalie Rob Scherr got a piece of it but then knocked it in. Matt Hanna had a shot from point blank range a minute later to tie but McGinnis made a huge save. Coach Pietramala said, “Their goalie having 17 saves is a big deal. He was the player of the game.” An interesting situation happened with thirty seconds remaining in the half. Edell tried to call a time-out to get a possession and try to score a last minute goal. It looked like Maryland had the time-out but an official signaled an offside call against the Terps, which gave Hopkins the ball. The Blue Jays took advantage of that possession when Wedin drove right and finished low. That tied the score at four going into the half.

Maryland took the lead two minutes into the half off a fast break when Michael Howley found Dan LaMonica. The Hop came back by scoring the next three goals. Corey Harned got it started in transition. The Wedin let go a laser from up top off a pass from Joe McDermott. There was a flag after the play so Hopkins took possession with no face and Bobby Benson scored an EMO goal. Maryland broke the streak with six minutes left in the third quarter. The Terps were moving the ball well and finally it was Dan LaMonica who took the shot with almost no angle. Hopkins put their lead back to two with Harned moving the ball to Benson who put it away.

The fourth quarter started with Malone putting away a pass from Mike Mollot. Then Malone assisted Buggs Combs who scored from 13 yards out. The Terps had the momentum and they capitalized with two unassisted goals to take the lead. Mike LaMonica made a great move spinning off his defender on the goal line and dunking it. Then Dan LaMonica took his pole high then spun low and scored. Hopkins called a time-out after that goal with 4:59 to play. Maryland’s Brian Carroll was hit with a crosscheck penalty thirty seconds later that put Hopkins man-up for a minute. Denihan took two shots sending one high and the other into the McGinnis’ chest protector. Hopkins backed it up and got another shot but McGinnis was there. Hopkins then stole the clear but was hit with a moving pick call so possession went to the Terps. They got the ball up field but dropped the pass and Wedin came up with a big ground ball. Donegar took the next shot but it sailed wide and Hopkins backed it up. Maryland called time-out to set up a defense with 2:14 remaining. JHU passes the ball around until Wedin takes a shot five-hole that is saved. Maryland tries to cheap it but Hopkins makes the steal, pushes it up field, and scores. It was Benson with his fourth of the game putting it five-hole, this time successfully. Hopkins only got one more shot after that and it was stick side high. Maryland played keep-away to close it out.

This was the first time Maryland has beaten Hopkins in the regular season since 1996. Hopkins played without junior P.J. DiConza who broke his kneecap in practice on Wednesday. Maryland has now won seven straight one-goal games. Malone had some kind words for teammate Carroll, “He stepped it up in the 2nd half winning those face-offs. I mean he is going up against probably the best face-off guy in the country and he comes up big. Carroll worked all summer to go against Eric Wedin and it paid off tonight.” Coach Pietramala characterized the game as, “Clearly two evenly matched teams and clearly two teams that don’t like each other very much.” Coach Edell was very positive on McGinnis, “He is the best goalie in the sport.”

Hopkins will next face No. 13 Navy at Homewood Field on Saturday. Maryland will open with No. 9 Virginia Friday night in Orlando, Fl at the ACC tournament. Coach Edell said, “That’s game puts us in a tough spot. Their post-season life could be on the line. How do you match that kind of emotion?”