April 12, 2006

College Park, Md. - Lacrosse's greatest rivalry renews for the 102nd time this Saturday as seventh-ranked Maryland (6-3) travels to Homewood Field for a showdown with No. 6 Johns Hopkins (5-3). The game will be televised nationally on ESPNU and shown locally on WMAR. Radio coverage can be heard on the Terrapin Sports Radio Network.

• Maryland and Hopkins are the two most storied lacrosse programs in the nation, with the rivalry beginning with back in 1895 as Hopkins defeated the Maryland Agricultural College. The Blue Jays (34) and Terps (28) have played in the first and third most NCAA Tournaments since the event began in 1971, respectively. Maryland (109) and Hopkins (174) have produced the most first team All-Americans in the history of lacrosse dating to the first awards in 1922.

• The Terps are coming off a heartbreaking 7-6 loss to Navy last Saturday in College Park. Hopkins enters the game with a 5-3 record, but has not played since April 3 when it defeated Mount St. Mary's, 19-6, at home. The Blue Jays were scheduled to play Duke on April 8, but that game was cancelled, giving JHU 12 days off before facing the Terps.

Coaching Match-Up
• Maryland head coach Dave Cottle is currently the third winningest active coach in the country with a 72.0 win percentage with a record of 232-90. He is also 51-20 as head coach of the Terps. Hopkins' Dave Pietramala is in his sixth season at Hopkins and has a 68-13 (84.0) record with the Jays. He is 91-30 overall in eight years as a coach for a 75.2 win percentage at both Hopkins and Cornell.

• Head coach Dave Cottle has won three of 14 career games against Hopkins, 10 of which came while coaching at Loyola. He led the Greyhounds to back-to-back wins against Hopkins in 1998 (10-7) and 1999 (14-5). Against coach Dave Pietramala, Cottle is 0-5, as his Loyola team dropped a 13-10 decision on May 4, 2001, in addition to the four losses while he has been at Maryland.

The Maryland-Hopkins Rivalry
• Maryland and Hopkins are the two most storied lacrosse programs in the nation, with the rivalry beginning with back in 1895 as Hopkins defeated the Maryland Agricultural College. The Blue Jays (34) and Terps (28) have played in the first and third most NCAA Tournaments since the event began in 1971, respectively. Maryland (109) and Hopkins (174) have produced the most first team All-Americans in the history of lacrosse dating to the first awards in 1922.

• While this will be the 102nd meeting between the two schools, Maryland's official record vs. Hopkins is 36-55-1. The first ten meetings between the two happened before lacrosse was an official sport at Maryland.

• Maryland is 10-22-1 all-time on the road vs. Hopkins and has dropped the last five played at Homewood Field. The last time the Terps entered Homewood and left with a victory was 1996 - a 12-9 Terrapin win.

• Prior to 2004's 14-10 Hopkins win, the previous three games in the series were one-goal affairs -- with the two going to overtime. Five of the last eight have been one-goal games. Maryland last won in the series at Byrd Stadium in dramatic fashion, 10-9, on April 14, 2001, as the No. 5 Terps scored four fourth-quarter goals to overcome a 8-6 deficit entering the final stanza. 2001 first team All-American Pat McGinnis made 21 saves and was named the WMAR Player of the Game in the win.

• Hopkins has won the last four games, two (2003 & 2002) in overtime. Last season saw the Blue Jays use a four-goal run in the third quarter to secure an 11-6 victory over the ninth-ranked Terrapins on April 15, 2005. Six difference Terps scored in the game, led by Joe Walters, Xander Ritz and Dave Matz, who each scored one and added an assist. The loss dropped the Terps to 5-5 on the season, but they would go on a six-game winning streak en route to an ACC Tournament championship and a berth in the Final Four.

• At Homewood Field on April 17, 2004, Hopkins raced out to an 8-1 lead in the first quarter en route to a 14-10 victory in the 100th meeting between the two schools. In the 2003 meeting at Byrd Stadium, on April 12, Joe McDermott scored the game-winner 1:21 into overtime for the 6-5 Hopkins win in front of 8,183 in attendance.

• This game marks the first time since 2002 that Hopkins does not come into the contest ranked No. 1 in the nation. Last year was the ninth time in the last 22 meetings that either Maryland or Hopkins comes into the game ranked No. 1. In those nine games, the No. 1-ranked team has been upset by the lower-ranked team three times with the most recent occurrence coming in 1998 as the No. 6 Hopkins squad handed the top-ranked Terps their first loss after an 8-0 start.

Individual Terps vs. Johns Hopkins
• Of the 48 players on the Terps' 2006 roster only five players have scored points against Hopkins.

• Joe Walters scored a goal in the 2003 game, his first vs. Hopkins, and followed that up with a two-goal, one-assist effort in the 100th meeting between the two schools in 2004. Last season, the All-America attackman scored once and added an assist.

• In addition to Walters, all four of the remaining players to have scored against Hopkins tallied a goal in last season's contest. Xander Ritz, who picked up an assist in the 2004 meeting, scored a goal and added an assist. All-American midfielder Bill McGlone scored once to raise his career total vs. the Blue Jays to three goals. Max Ritz scored a goal in his first meeting with Hopkins. Brendan Healy followed up his hat trick vs. the Jays in 2004 with a single goal last season.

• Last season the Terps entered the game without a goalie with experience in the series. This year they return All-American Harry Alford, who allowed a then-season high 11 goals to the Blue Jays. Back-up net-minder Teddy Murphy also saw some late time in last season's game.

• Face-off is another position where Maryland returns some experience vs. the Blue Jays. Senior David Tamberrino had a strong showing vs. Hopkins last year, winning seven of 11 draws for a 63.6 winning percentage. Thomas Alford, who won nine-of-21 face-offs to set his career-high vs. the Blue Jays in 2004, won two of five last year to bring his total to 11 of 26 vs. Hopkins. Another factor at the X could be Will Dalton, who won his only face-off vs. JHU last season.

Maryland-Hopkins Connections
• Despite being bitter rivals, Maryland-Hopkins still have many notable connections.

• Hopkins sophomore attacker Jake Byrne is the brother of Matt Hahn (1995-98), Maryland's all-time leading goal scorer with 149 goals. Hahn is also 11th on the Terps' all-time scoring list with 180 career points. Hahn scored three goals in both the Terrapins' 1995 NCAA Semifinal and 1998 NCAA Quarterfinal wins over Hopkins.

• Now is his 23rd season as a Maryland assistant coach, Dave Slafkosky is a 1974 graduate of Johns Hopkins, where he played lacrosse from 1972-74. He helped the Blue Jays to the 1974 title, beating Maryland in the championship game, one year after the Terps had beaten Slafkosky and the Blue Jays in the title game.

• Hopkins' leading scorer Kevin Huntley will certainly run into former Calvert Hall teammate Jeff Reynolds, one of Maryland's top short-stick defensive middies.

• In total the two squads have 27 players who played together in high school.

Home Vs. Away
• A lot is made in sports about the home-field advantage, but for the Maryland men's lacrosse team it has been better away from home than it has been in College Park. The Terps have played five games at home (2-3) and four on the road (4-0) and the numbers show an edge for the Terps when they are in enemy territory.

• Maryland is averaging 7.8 goals per game in its home games, which is more than a full goal less than the 8.9 goals the Terps average on the road.

• Shooting percentage, which is one of Coach Dave Cottle's key statistics, is another tell-tale stat, and it shows that Maryland is shooting much better on the road. In College Park the Terps are shooting 20.8% (40/192) and on the road they are shooting 26.7% (36/135). Shots on goal percentage shows a clear advantage for road games, 61.5% to 54.2%.

• Player of the year candidate Joe Walters, the team's leading scorer overall, is also the Terps' top scorer on the road with nine goals and five assist for 14 points. Xander Ritz also has 14 points in road games on 12 goals and two assists. Walters also leads the squad in scoring at home with 10 goals and eight assists for 18 points. Ritz is second in home scoring, totaling 14 points on nine goals and five assists.

• The Maryland defense has been dominating no matter where it has played this season, but the 15-5 loss at home to Virginia swings the numbers in favor of the road. As a team, the Terps are allowing opponents 7.21 goals per game (just 4.8 gpg before the UVa game) at home and just 5.2 gpg on the road. In goal, Harry Alford, a Kelly Award candidate, has made 40 saves in the team's home games with a 7.77 GAA and a .606 save pct. On the road the junior has racked up 42 saves with a 5.25 GAA and a .667 save pct.

Defense Proves To Be Strong Again
• Heading into the 2005 season the big question mark surrounding the Terps was their defense. The entire starting close defense from 2004, consisting National Defensive Player of the Year Lee Zink and All-Americans Chris Passavia and Dave Wagner, Team MVP short-stick D-middie Paul Gillette, and All-America goalie Tim McGinnis were lost to graduation. Taking that group's place figured to be no easy task, but it proved to be easier than previously imagined.

• During the last two seasons, Maryland held its' opponents scoreless for long stretches of game time. The 2004 Terps kept opponents scoreless for stretches of 20 or more minutes eight times. Last year Maryland did it on seven occasions, and was just seconds away from keeping the high-powered Duke (1st meeting) and Navy offenses off the board for more than 20 minutes. This season the Terrapin defense has already done it six times in its first nine games.

• At No. 7 Georgetown in the season opener, the Hoyas took a 2-1 lead with 0:13 left in the first quarter. Maryland's defense, lead by sophomore goalie Harry Alford, who totaled 14 saves in the 10-4 victory, didn't allow the seventh-ranked Hoyas another goal until 7:09 in the fourth quarter, a total time of 38:05. Of the Hoyas' four goals, two were scored during a Maryland penalty.

• Even though the Terp defense did not hold No. 1 Duke scoreless for any 20-minute stretch, it did hold one of the nation's most prolific offenses to the Blue Devils' lowest scoring output of the season. Prior to scoring just seven goals vs. Maryland, Duke had put up 20 on Butler, 13 on Villanova and 16 on Bellarmine for an average of 16.3 goals per game.

• In their first home game of 2006 against No. 15 Towson, the Terps dominated the first half of play, holding the Tigers scoreless for a 4-0 Maryland advantage at the half. Towson didn't get on the board until the 8:28 mark of the third quarter, which ended its scoring drought to 36:32. The Terp defense caused 14 of the Tigers' 24 turnovers, including a career-best five CT's by Steve Whittenberg. Maryland also controlled the game on the ground, beating Towson in groundballs 40-21.

• Maryland may have lost its first game of 2006 to Bucknell, 7-6 in 2OT, but the Terrapin defense turned in another stellar effort, led by junior All-American Steve Whittenberg, who surpassed his Towson-effort by causing six Bison turnovers and picking up five groundballs. As a team, the Terps caused 15 of Bucknell's 23 turnovers and won the groundball battle, 37-22. Even though Bucknell scored twice in each of the first three quarters for a 6-3 lead heading into the fourth, Maryland's D shutout the Bison in the fourth, allowing the Terrapin offense to score three unanswered goals to tie the game. Overall the Terps held Bucknell scoreless for 27:47 before giving up the game-winning goal with nine seconds left in the second overtime.

• It didn't get to 20 scoreless minutes, but that's because the clock ran out during Maryland's dominating defensive performance in its 9-4 win at UMBC. The Terp defense gave up just the four goals and there was only one assist on the Retriever scores. Maryland held just a one-goal lead going into the fourth quater, but the defense shutout UMBC in the final period to allow the offense to score four unanswered goals. It was the sixth time this season that Maryland has not allowed a goal in a quarter.

• It will be hard to top the Terrapin defense's effort in the 14-2 thrashing of Dartmouth. While it is impressive that the Terps held the Big Green scoreless for the first 53:32 of the game, it is even more impressive that Dartmouth did not even get off a shot until the 6:56 mark of the second quarter. The Big Green comitted 25 turnovers in the game with 19 of those caused by a Maryland player, including four by Ryan Clarke and three each by Joe Cinosky and Ray Megill.

• Maryland turned in another impressive defensive performance in its 9-6 win at North Carolina to raise the Terps' record to 6-1. For the fifth time this season, Maryland held an opponent scoreless for more than 20 minutes - this time 21:26, bridging the third and fourth quarters, during which the Terrapin offense was able to score five unanswered goals. Ryan Clarke and Jimmy Borell were impressive in the defensive midfield, combining for eight groundballs and two caused turnovers.

• After struggling during the first half against Navy, the Terp defense turned things around by allowing just two goals in the final 30 minutes to allow the offense to get back on track and erase a 5-1 deficit. Maryland allowed a goal at the 5:48 mark of the third quarter and did not allow another goal until eight seconds left in the fourth, a span of 20:40. Back-up goalie Jason Carter made seven saves in the game after subbing in for Alford midway through the first period. The sophomore also caused three turnovers and picked up three groundballs. Junior All-American Ray Megill set a career-high with four caused turnovers vs. the Mids.

Opponent Scoring Droughts
Feb. 25 at GTown: 0 goals in 37:05
Mar. 4 at Duke: 2 goals in 26:19
Mar. 11 vs. Towson: 0 goals in 36:32
Mar. 14 vs. Bucknell: 0 goals in 27:47
Mar. 18 at UMBC: 1 goal in 27:20
Mar. 21 vs. Dartmouth: 0 goals in 53:32
Mar. 25 at UNC: 0 goals in 21:26
Apr. 8 vs. Navy: 0 goals in 20:40

Shooting Tells The Story
• The difference between winning and losing for Maryland this season is simple - when the Terps shoot well they win. Coach Dave Cottle is on record saying that good teams will shoot at least 30%. As it turns out 30% is the magic number for the Terps this season.

• In Maryland's five victories this season the Terrapins are shooting nearly 30% (28.1%, 59 goals/210 shots). In their three losses the Terps' shooting percentage is cut in half to 14.5% (17 goals/117 shots).

• Maybe just as telling is the shots on goal percentage. Maryland has put 126 of its 210 shots on goal in its six wins (60.0%), but just 61 of 117 shots were on net in three defeats (52.1%).

• Sometime things are not always black and white. The Terps are actually averaging more groundballs per game in their three losses (39.3) than in their six wins (31.8). Maryland is also facing-off slightly better in defeat, winning 61.0% as opposed to 58.7% in victories.

Streaking Terps
• Two Terps entered the 2006 season game with point-scoring streaks and both emerged from the Navy game in tact.

• Joe Walters' point scoring streak is now at 42 games. He tallied three assists vs. the Hoyas in the '06 season opener. He followed that up with a one-goal, two-assist effort at Duke. Against Towson the senior came out firing and finished the game with three goals and an assist for a game-high four points. After scoring the game's first goal, Walters also dished out two assists for a three-point effort vs. Bucknell. Three fourth-quarter goals helped the Terps toa 9-4 win at UMBC. The streak was never in jeopardy vs. Dartmouth as Walters picked up an assist on the game's first goal. In total, Walters tied his career-best with seven points vs. the Big Green on four goals and three assists. At North Carolina Walters extended his steak to 40 and did something he had never done before - score five goals in a game. He has two six-goal games and seven four-goal games during his amazing career. The streak appeared to be in jeopardy, but an assist on Bill McGlone's third-quarter goal pushed it to 41 games. After the near end of the streak vs. Virginia, Walters wasted no time in getting in the scoring column vs. Navy, scoring the Terps' first goal of the game in the first quarter. He finished the game vs. the Midshipmen with two goals and one assist.

• Xander Ritz now has a point scoring streak of 28 games. After scoring a then-career-best four goals at Georgetown, the senior midfielder/attackman scored five goals to re-set his career high and added an assist at Duke. While Ritz didn't dominate Towson like he did the Hoyas and Blue Devils, he still managed a goal and an assist in Maryland's 9-6 win. Ritz continued his torrid scoring pace against Bucknell with two goals and two assists, his fourth multi-point game in four games this season. Ritz's fifth multi-point game of the season came with a three-goal effort at UMBC. Rtiz not only kept up his point-scoring streak with five points on three goals and two assists vs. Dartmouth, but it was also the sixth-straight multi-point game for the Terrapin senior. He kept the point-streak alive, but the multi-point streak came to an end at Carolina with just one assist vs. the Tar Heels. The one-game multi-point break was just that as Ritz scored two vs. No. 1 Virginia to keep his scoring streak alive. Ritz's streak was kept alive with one goal in the 7-6 loss to Navy.

• The last time Walters did not score a point in a game was May 24, 2003 in the NCAA Semifinals vs. eventual National Champion Virginia. For Ritz, he was last held scoreless in the 2004 NCAA Quarterfinal game vs. Princeton.

• While not as long of a streak as Walters' or Ritz's, Bill McGlone has managed to score a goal in each of Maryland's nine games this season - the only Terp to score in every game.

Healy Named NSCA All-American
• Brendan Healy has been named a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) All-American, team strength and conditioning coach Marc Heinecke announced on April 3, 2006.

• Healy, a 2005 third team USILA All-American, was selected as a 2006 NSCA All-American after turning in the following performances during the team's winter conditioning program:
Bench Press: 320 lbs.
Squat: 570 lbs.
Power Clean: 280 lbs.
Vertical Jump: 31.5"
40-yard Dash: 4.6 sec.
Pro Agility: 4.25 sec.

• The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) is an international nonprofit educational association founded in 1978. Evolving from a membership of 76, the association now serves nearly 30,000 members in 52 countries. Drawing upon its vast network of members, the NSCA develops and presents the most advanced information regarding strength training and conditioning practices, injury prevention, and research findings.

Walters & Ritz Among Top Scoring Tandems
• The senior duo of Joe Walters and Xander Ritz are fourth among top goal scoring tandems in the NCAA this season. Ritz leads the Terps with an average of 2.33 goals per game, while Walters is scoring 2.11 per game.

1. Athan Ianucci (3.1), Tom Dooley (2.4), Hofstra - 5.5 gpg
2. Frank Resetarits (3.11), Merrick Thomson (1.78), Albany - 4.89 gpg
3. David Mitchell (3.0), Joe Boulukos (1.78), Cornell - 4.78 gpg
4. Xander Ritz (2.33), Joe Walters (2.11), Maryland - 4.44 gpg
5. D.J. Andrzejewski (2.22), James Riordan (2.11), Penn - 4.33 gpg

• Ritz has scored 21 goals so far this season, which is already four better than his previous season-best of 17 as a freshman at Delaware. Walters is just two behind with 19 goals to give the two a total of 40 goals in nine games. That toal represents 52.6% of Maryland's combined 76 goals this season.

In College Park Under Coach Cottle
• Home field advantage is a big factor in college men's lacrosse and it's no different for the Maryland Terrapins under Coach Dave Cottle. Since Cottle took over the reigns of the Terps' program prior to the 2002 season, Maryland is 17-7 (.708) at Byrd Stadium. During the four-plus seasons, Maryland has had to play seven games (6-2) at the Field Hockey/Lacrosse Complex. The Dartmouth game was the first for a Cottle-coached Terrapin team at Ludwig Field (a 14-2 Terp victory). If you add those to Maryland's Byrd Stadium total, the Terrapins are 24-9 (.727) in games played in College Park since 2002.

Ritz Addition Gives Terps Four On Tewaaraton Trophy Watch List
• Seniors Joe Walters and Bill McGlone were joined by junior Harry Alford on the preseason "Watch List" for the 2006 Tewaaraton Trophy. Walters is a two-time semifinalist for the award and McGlone was on the preseason watch list in 2005. For Alford, this is his first appearance on the watch list.

• Senior attackman/midfielder Xander Ritz was one of three players added to the list on March 27 after scoring 18 goals and adding seven assists in Maryland's first seven games of the season.

• The Tewaaraton Trophy is awarded each year to the top male and female varsity lacrosse player, as chosen by the selection committee. The sixth annual award will be given at a banquet in June. The event will take place in Washington D.C. at the National Geographic Society headquarters.

Terps' 81st Season Of Lacrosse
• The Terps boast an all-time record of 667-217-4 (.753), dating back to the first varsity team in 1924 (a team was not fielded in 1944 and 1945 due to World War II). Maryland has finished every one of its previous 80 seasons with a .500 or better record, including last season when the Terps went 11-6. The program reached the 650-win milestone with a 16-12 win over Army in the first round of the 2004 NCAA tournament at Byrd Stadium.

• Since 2000, Maryland is 74-28 for a .725 win percentage. In the decade of the 1990s, Maryland recorded its most wins in any decade with a 95-47 record. The .669 winning percentage matched Maryland's win percentage of the 1980s when the Terps went 83-41 and also compiled a .669 win percentage.

2006 Captains: Healy, Lang, McGlone, X. Ritz
• Four players have been named team captains for the 2006 season. The quartet, which was voted on by the team during the fall season, consists of seniors Brendan Healy, Ryan Lang, Bill McGlone and Xander Ritz.