Feb. 25, 2003
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
The University of Maryland women's lacrosse team opened its 2003 campaign looking like one of the Maryland teams of old, mixing a quick-strike offense with a strong defense in an impressive 20-5 win over No. 20 George Mason at the UM Artificial Turf Facility.
The No. 6 Terrapins (1-0) are now 23-7 in season openers and today's win was in the bag early. Maryland scored nine unanswered goals in the contest's first 12:24 with All-American Kelly Coppedge finding the net three times in the game's first five-and-a-half minutes. The Terrapins' nine goal run -- which ended on freshman Delia Cox's first career goal -- came on just 10 shots.
Scoring would slow for the Terps and GMU actually scored four of the game's next six goals to cut the deficit to seven (11-4), but Maryland would go on the attack again to pull away for good. Sophomore Annie Collins paced a second-half run with three goals and the Terps would again run off nine-in-a-row before the Patriots scored in the game's final minute to leave the final at 20-5.
Senior netminder Alexis Venechanos was solid in the cage, making six saves while allowing just four goals. The Terrapin defense also gets credit in the strong performance as it held George Mason to just nine shots and only three in the second half, despite the Patriots' need to get back in the game.
In the win, the Terrapins outshot GMU, 41-9, and won the draw control battle, 16-11. In 21 games last season, Maryland hit the 40-shot mark just twice and the 20-goal mark just once while it achieved both today and did so with amazing efficiency (.488 team shooting percentage).
Maryland put 10 players in the scoring column with Coppedge leading all scorers with a career-high tying seven points while also tying a career best with five goals. Sophomore Acacia Walker was active all game and added her third career hat trick to go along with three assists. Senior Sonia Judd had five points (two goals, three assists) while Collins finished the game with four goals. Judd was also strong on the draw in the second half, coming away with four draw controls and leading the Terps to a 9-5 second-half advantage in that area.
Stacy Berger and Lisa Hagan each led George Mason (0-1) in scoring with a goal and an assist apiece.
Maryland returns to action this weekend -- weather permitting -- in a pair of key conference matchups at the turf facility. On Friday, the Terps host No. 2 Duke at 7:00 p.m. before closing out the week with a 1:00 p.m. game against No. 10 North Carolina. Admission to both games is free.
GAME SCORING
#20 GEORGE MASON 2 3 -- 5
#6 MARYLAND 10 10 -- 20
Half-Time Team, Goal (Assist) GMU-UM
1-28:18 Maryland, Kelly Coppedge (Judd) 0-1
1-25:37 Maryland, Acacia Walker (unassisted) 0-2
1-25:07 Maryland, Kelly Coppedge (Leggio) 0-3
1-24:43 Maryland, Kelly Coppedge (unassisted) 0-4
1-23:10 Maryland, Jessica Dorney (Cox) 0-5
1-22:26 Maryland, Annie Collins (Coppedge) 0-6
1-21:32 Maryland, Acacia Walker (unassisted) 0-7
1-19:14 Maryland, Kristie Leggio (Motley) 0-8
1-17:36 Maryland, Delia Cox (Judd) 0-9
1-7:42 George Mason, Lisa Hagan (unassisted) 1-9
1-5:04 Maryland, Kelly Coppedge (Walker) 1-10
1-3:17 George Mason, Jill Toomey (unassisted) 2-10
2-27:20 George Mason, Erika Webster (Berger) 3-10
2-25:29 Maryland, Sonia Judd (Coppedge) 3-11
2-24:54 George Mason, Stacy Berger (Hagan) 4-11
2-23:52 Maryland, Kristie Leggio (unassisted) 4-12
2-23:34 Maryland, Annie Collins (Walker) 4-13
2-21:34 Maryland, Acacia Walker (Shank) 4-14
2-15:33 Maryland, Annie Collins (FPS) 4-15
2-14:20 Maryland, Kelly Coppedge (Judd) 4-16
2-10:06 Maryland, Delia Cox (Walker) 4-17
2-6:04 Maryland, Annie Collins (FPS) 4-18
2-4:10 Maryland, Sonia Judd (unassisted) 4-19
2-1:26 Maryland, Laura Warren (unassisted) 4-20
2-0:43 George Mason, Brandi Evans (FPS) 5-20
TEAM STATS
Category Maryland George Mason
Shots 18-23--41 6-3--9
Saves 5-1--6 8-12--20
Draw Controls 7-9--16 6-5--11
Groundballs 14-14--28 14-11--25
Turnovers 8-2--10 12-13--25
Caused TOs 6-7--13 7-4--11
FPS 1-2--3 2-2--4
Fouls 7-8--15 4-5--9
INDIVIDUAL SCORING
Maryland Scorers Goals-Asst.-Pts.
Kelly Coppedge 5-2-7
Acacia Walker 3-3-6
Sonia Judd 2-3-5
Annie Collins 4-0-4
Delia Cox 2-1-3
Kristie Leggio 2-1-3
Jessica Dorney 1-0-1
Laura Warren 1-0-1
Jaimee Motley 0-1-1
Julie Shank 0-1-1
George Mason Scorers Goals-Asst.-Pts.
Stacy Berger 1-1-2
Lisa Hagan 1-1-2
Jill Toomey 1-0-1
Kristy Manas 1-0-1
Brandi Evans 1-0-1
GOALIES
Maryland Goalies Saves GA Min.
Alexis Venechanos 6 4 56:03
Kirah Miles 0 1 3:57
George Mason Goalies Saves GA Min.
Meg Dentler 1 9 12:24
Carolyn Whittenberg 17 11 47:36
ATTENDANCE: 68
