Two-time defending champ Virginia falls to No. 1 Maryland in NCAA Quarterfinals

As was the case earlier in the spring, two-time defending national champ Virginia was no match for top-ranked Maryland, which dispatched the Cavaliers in an 18-9 romp in the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Tournament quarterfinals on Sunday.

Griffin Schutz kicked off the scoring for Virginia (12-4) at the 11:12 mark of the opening period after he beat his defender from behind the cage and buried a shot while curling around the crease.

The Terrapins (16-0) responded by scoring the next four goals, including three from Anthony DeMaio, to hold a 3-1 lead at the end of the first.

Jeff Conner scored his first of three goals on an unassisted finish two minutes into the second. After Conner’s first goal, Maryland proceeded to close out the second quarter on a 5-2 run to lead it 9-4 at the break.

Conner’s second score came on an assist from Payton Cormier. The Cavaliers concluded the period on a high note after Matt Moore found Cormier on the doorstep, who with scored with 1:33 to play in the half.

Coming out of the break, the Terrapins scored the first four goals of the half to extend their lead to 13-4 midway through the third. Moore’s lone goal of the contest broke up the Maryland run. After Moore’s goal, both teams scored back-to-back as UVA trailed 15-7 heading into the fourth. Neither team scored for the first 6:30 of the fourth before the Terrapins found the back of the net to go up, 16-7.

Cormier registered the Cavaliers’ only man-up goal of the game in the fourth period and midfielder Evan Zinn scored Virginia’s final goal of the season with just under 1:00 to play.

Postgame: Virginia coach Lars Tiffany

“I coach great men. I’m very fortunate to coach warriors. And that’s why this hurts because the ride’s over. We’ve been fortunate the last two full seasons, in ‘19 and ’21, to finish our seasons holding up the national championship trophy. And so, it’s hard to not have the Final Four be a part of the Virginia lacrosse season. But there’s a reason it’s ended and it’s because we’ve just faced – in my opinion – the best team in the last 16 years.”