FOXBOROUGH, MA – Maryland men's lacrosse was defeated by Cornell, 13-10, in a 2022 NCAA championship game rematch at Gillette Stadium on Memorial Day in front of 32,512 fans. The Terps finished the 2025 season — their 100th as a varsity program — with a 14-4 record, making their 18th championship game appearance as a program. Head coach
John Tillman has brought the Terps to the title game in nine of 15 seasons as Maryland's head coach.
No. 2-seeded and No. 4-ranked Maryland trailed No. 1-seeded and No. 1-ranked Cornell (18-1) by as many as three goals at five separate points, including 10-7 with 13:42 left to play. The Terps rallied to bring the game within one goal with 9:23 to play, but Cornell replenished a three-goal advantage twice after that to secure the win.
Eric Spanos (2 goals & 2 assists), Braden Erksa (2 goals), Zach Whittier (2 goals), Bryce Ford, Daniel Kelly, Jack Schultz and Elijah Stobaugh comprised Maryland's goal scorers. Spanos has scored 13 goals in Maryland's four NCAA Tournament games this season. The total is tied for the second most by a Terp in a single tournament run. Erksa has also scored a goal in every game this season.
Goalie Logan McNaney finished the game with 11 saves between the pipes. It was his 16th time this season making double-digit saves.
Jonah Carrier (11 wins) and
Shea Keethler (4 wins) led the Terps from the faceoff dot. As a team, Maryland won 15 of 27 faceoffs. Carrier led the Terps with five ground balls.
Eric Kolar caused a career-high tying three turnovers defensively. Kelly and McNaney were also credited with causing turnovers. Despite the loss, Maryland held Cornell below its goal-scoring average. The Big Red entered the contest ranking first nationally in goals (15.9) per game.
Long-stick midfielder AJ Larkin added an assist, recording a point in back-to-back games for the first time in his career. Aidan Aitken also recorded an assist. The junior has points in three straight contests, the longest streak of his career.
Will Schaller, McNaney, Spanos and Larkin were named to the All-Tournament Team. Cornell's CJ Kirst was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, scoring a game-high six goals.
This was Maryland's 47th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and its NCAA-best 22nd straight appearance. Under Tillman, the Terps have made every tournament since 2011.
Tillman's Take
- "Hurting for my guys, because I love my guys. They're just such good guys, good people. They've been so selfless, worked so hard, couldn't ask for a better group to not only represent our program, but represent our school on and off the field. … I'm grateful for all they've done this year. I'm disappointed for them, obviously kicking myself trying to figure out how I could have been better to help them. But again, hats off to Cornell, very worthy champions."
From The Guys
- "You just wish it was more you could have done, but game's over," Kolar said. "And frankly, they played the better game today. It's just tough that it's over. We love each other so much. There's so much pride in that locker room. Nobody's gonna go out with their head down. Everybody gave it their all this year."
Breaking Down The Action
- First Quarter: Maryland entered the second frame trailing 2-1. Bryce Ford scored its lone goal at the 7:27 mark off a rebound. Cornell's goals occurred at the 10:38 and 1:16 marks. Logan McNaney made four saves in the quarter.
- Second Quarter: The Terps trailed the Big Red 6-5 at the break. Eric Spanos netted two in the quarter at the 8:38 and 2:48 marks. Daniel Kelly scored the first goal of the period just 11 seconds in, and Jack Schultz had the last of the frame with 1:12 to go. The Big Red led by two scores at two separate points.
- Third Quarter: Maryland trailed Cornell 9-7 entering the final quarter. Braden Erksa and Zach Whittier netted goals at the 4:18 and 2:09 marks, respectively. Cornell's CJ Kirst scored three times in the quarter. His second and third tallies gave the Big Red three-goal leads.
- Fourth Quarter: Erksa and Whittier netted their second goals of the game in the fourth. Maryland trailed 10-7 with 13:42 left to play before rallying to bring the game within one goal with 9:23 to play, but Cornell replenished a three-goal advantage twice after that to secure the win.
Multi-Terps Update
- Eric Spanos (2 goals & 2 assists) had the 33rd multi-point game of his career. It was his 24th multi-goal game and eighth multi-assist game.
- Braden Erksa (2 goals) had his 41st multi-point game in his three years as a Terp. It was his 25th multi-goal game.
- Zach Whittier (2 goals) recorded his 14th multi-point game. It was his ninth multi-assist game. It was his seventh multi-goal game.
NCAA Tourney Time
- Maryland is 76-43 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, with 30 Final Four trips, 18 Championship game appearances and four national championships (1973, 1975, 2017, 2022). Its 30 Final Four appearances are the most of any program. Maryland has also played in the national championship four out of the last five seasons.
- Under Coach Tillman (since 2011), the Terps have made every tournament. They're also 34-12 under Tillman in the NCAA Tournament. The 34 wins are the most victories of any active coach.
- Tillman also has 11 championship weekend appearances and two NCAA Championships. He has brought the Terps to the title game in nine of 15 seasons as head coach.
- This was Maryland's 47th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and its NCAA-best 22nd straight appearance.
- This season marked just the fourth time since the tournament began in 1971 that Maryland is the No. 2 seed.
McNaney On The Charts
- Logan McNaney is Maryland's program's career record holder for saves. With 11 in the game, he finished with 789 for his career. He surpassed Kevin O'Leary's 705 from 1981-84, a record that stood for over 40 years, in his outing at Ohio State on April 12.
- This was McNaney's sixth and final collegiate season. The 2022 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player wears the program's historic No. 1 jersey this season. He was the first goalie to wear the number since Melvin Stephens (1989-91).
Numbers To Know
- 1: McNaney is Maryland's all-time saves leader.
- 2: Larkin scored points in back-to-back games for the first time in his career.
- 4: Maryland has played in the national championship four out of the last five seasons.
- 9: Tillman has brought the Terps to the title game in nine of 15 seasons as Maryland's head coach.
- 11: Kelly has 11 straight games with a goal.
- 18: Spanos and Kelly have scored a point in every game this season.
- 18: Erksa has a goal in all 18 games this season.
- 18: This was Maryland's 18th championship game appearance as a program.
- 22: Maryland leads the nation with 22 straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
- 30: Maryland has the most Final Four appearances of any program with 30.
- 47: This was Maryland's 47th appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
- 52: McNaney made 10 or more saves for the 52nd time in his career and the 16th time this season.
- 100: This marked the 100th season of Maryland men's lacrosse.
