April 24, 2007

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Maryland's Max Ritz was named the final 2007 Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Lacrosse Player of the Week, announced by the league on April 23. Ritz tied his career-high with six points on a season-best four goals and two assists to lead the eighth-ranked University of Maryland men's lacrosse team (9-4) to a 14-10 win over Penn (6-6) Saturday afternoon at Franklin Field.

Ritz, a native of Wayne, Pa., just outside of Philadelphia, scored a hat trick in the first half to keep Maryland in the game as the Quakers, who were playing to keep any hopes of an NCAA tournament bid alive, held two-goal leads twice in the half.

But with just over a minute remaining and Penn holding a 6-5 lead, Ritz's third goal of the game tied the contest. The junior All-America candidate took a feed from junior midfielder Drew Evans in front of the crease and as momentum and a Quaker defender were taking Ritz to the right side, he flipped the ball over his left shoulder for a behind-the-back goal.

Ritz now has six hat tricks, 15 multi-goal and 25 multi-point games in his career. The six-point effort is also his 14th-straight game with multiple points.

Maryland returns to action on Friday, April 27 against No. 3 Virginia in the semifinals of the ACC tournament in Durham, N.C. That game is scheduled for a 6 p.m. start at Duke's Koskinen Stadium.