Reynolds Has Remedy; Maryland Bulldozes Duke
Related: Blue Devils in Need of an Identity
by Paul Ohanian | Lacrosse Magazine Online Staff
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| Maryland attackman Will Yeatman lays a shoulder into Duke defenseman Mike Manley. Yeatman had two goals in No. 11 Maryland's 11-8 win over No. 10 Duke. |
BALTIMORE-- Sometimes, it's the unexpected things that can make the difference in a game --unexpected, even, from the players involved.
Maryland's senior midfielder Jeff Reynolds took just 12 faceoffs
through the first three games of this season, and didn't know how
often he would be called to the draw Saturday in the No. 11-ranked
Terps' ACC opener against No. 10 Duke.
But late in the second quarter, with the score knotted at 3-3,
assistant coach Ryan Moran sent Reynolds out to the "X" to offer a
change-up look against Duke's Sam Payton, who had won six of the
game's first seven faceoffs against Maryland's No. 1, Bryn Holmes.
Duke had just rebounded from a 3-0 deficit to knot the score on Max
Quinzani's second goal of the game, and momentum was clearly
favoring the Blue Devils.
But that's when the unlikely hero took center stage. Reynolds
won the draw, scooped the ground ball, and pushed ahead toward the
Duke goal. A quick pass to Grant Catalino led to a second pass to
Ryan Young, and in just seven seconds, the Terps were back in front
4-3.
Reynolds was just getting started.
Five seconds later, Maryland pushed its lead to two goals, as the senior again beat Payton, pushed ahead and fed Catalino. This time, Catalino (2g, 4a) faked the second pass and blasted a rocket past goalie Rob Schroeder (eight saves), sending the Terps into halftime with momentum back on their side.
Maryland (3-1) would never trail, eventually finishing with an
11-8 win in the Konica Minolta Face-Off Classic at M&T Bank
Stadium.
"I thought Jeff was the difference in the game," said Maryland
head coach Dave Cottle. "Jeff just made some plays with those two
goals off the faceoffs.
"Whenever they got close, we answered with a goal, usually very
quickly. We never let them get on a run. If you're going to get to
10 [goals] in this game, you've got to score some transition, some
extra man, and some all even."
Reynolds finished with eight faceoff wins in 12 attempts and added
his fifth goal of the season off another win in the third quarter
to extend Maryland's lead to 8-4.
"Today, I felt a rhythm and it worked out for me," explained
Reynolds. "I was able to get the ball out and create some
opportunities for myself and Grant. I was feeling the whistle. It
felt right and the ball kept going with my stick."
Catalino, selected as the game's most valuable player, and fellow
sophomore Ryan Young (3g, 2a) led Maryland offensively, combining
for seven goals and six assists. Defensively, junior Brian Phipps
went the distance in goal for Maryland and finished with a
season-high 13 saves.
Quinzani led the Blue Devils with three goals, while senior Ned
Crotty added two goals and a team-high three assists. Duke (2-2)
actually finished the game with a 41-34 edge in total shots and a
decisive 39-25 advantage in ground balls, but it was clearly
Maryland that remained in control, especially in the second
half.
"Sometimes, statistics do lie," said Duke's John Danowski. "A lot
of the things that we work on during the week...we were certainly
able to be successful today. But the game certainly didn't play out
that way. It's about making plays, and I don't think we made enough
plays today."
Notes: Maryland's three first-quarter goals were
the first against Schroeder and the Duke defense in the opening
quarter this year...Duke had won three of the last four against
Maryland prior to Saturday... Maryland's 55 wins against Duke is
the most by the Terps against any opponent...Combined with last
week's loss to Harvard, Duke has now lost back-to-back games for
the first time since 2004...The third annual Face-Off Classic drew
an announced crowd of 17,119 for the doubleheader at M&T Bank
Stadium.
