Maryland Continues Their Path to Greatness Beating Hopkins 18-10
Everyone knew that the Maryland lacrosse team was going to be very good this year. With the return of a lot of talent from years past, a great freshman class, and some key transfers the expectations were very high. Yet now just three weeks into the season, Maryland has blown past any expectations there were and blown out every team they have played. Their victim this week was rival Johns Hopkins.
At the start of the game, things were very tight. The play on the field looked like what you would expect from a Maryland-Johns Hopkins game. Through 6:24 there were no goals scored, both teams had plenty of opportunities but great play from the two goalies kept the game tied at zero. But then, the scoring started. Hopkins was the team to start the scoring, with Joey Epstein scoring on a man-up opportunity. Maryland then came back with a goal of their own a minute later off of an Anthony DeMaio snipe. The Blue Jays then scored two to make it a 3-1 lead with five minutes left in the first quarter.
The Terps were then finally able to get some momentum scoring three straight in a span of less than three minutes. Conner Delany then scored an incredible last-second goal with two seconds left in the first quarter to tie it up at four. The second quarter then started with 5:52 of scoreless play before Jared Bernhardt scored his first of the day. Hopkins then went on a three-goal run, to take a two-goal lead with 3:31 left in the first half. But that is when the game changed. From that point on, Maryland went on a 13-3 run, dominating all parts of the game. The first two of the 13 came at the end of the first half to make the score 7-7.
Then in the third quarter, Maryland showed why they are the #3 team in the nation. The Terps won the third quarter 8-0, shutting out Johns Hopkins. Of those eight, three were off the stick of Jared Bernhardt and Logan Wisnauskas had four assists of his own. Wisnauskas finished the game with seven assists which was a career-high. Maryland then continued their scoring streak to the first quarter for their 11th straight goal to make it 16-7.
Hopkins was then finally able to score again with 10:51 left in the game as Garrett Degnon. That goal was their first in over 20 minutes of game time after being shut out in the 3rd quarter. The Blue Jays scored two more in the remainder of the game as did the Terps to make the final score 18-10.
This game was the first time that Maryland has allowed more than 10 goals this year. But their offensive attack was so magnificent that they were able to score 18 and blow out Hopkins.
Maryland is now 3-0 on the year, winning all of their games by at least six goals so far. Yet Logan Wisnauskas doesn’t think the team even is close to reaching their full potential. This was Maryland’s first win in “The Rivalry” since 2018 and their first win at home since 2017. The Terps next game is next Saturday at home vs Rutgers at 3pm.
