College Lacrosse Game of the Week: Johns Hopkins vs. Marlyand
Big Ten Lacrosse play heats up as Maryland hosts Johns Hopkins on April 22.
This is a crucial matchup for who takes a share of first in the Big Ten: Maryland and Johns Hopkins are both 3-1 in the conference; additionally, Penn State is also 3-1 and can share first place if it defeats Rutgers in University Park.
Here’s everything to know about the rivalry:
No. 6 Maryland (8-3, 3-1 Big Ten)
Maryland is coming off a two-game win streak, the first an overtime win at Ohio State and then at Rutgers.
Daniel Kelly has kept the team rolling all year long and earned one Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week nod this season. He leads the team in goals, which includes the overtime game-winner against then-No. 1 Virginia.
It was announced that Brett Makar and Luke Weirman have both been named to the Tewaaraton Watchlist.
Makar has 35 ground balls and 17 caused turnovers in eleven games this season and has become the team’s clear leader on defense.
Additionally, Wierman has been dominant all season long in the faceoff circle. He has the fourth-best faceoff rate in the nation with a 63.3% success rate.
John Tillman has coached the team to an 8-3 season after coming off an undefeated 2022 season. With the momentum that this team has, Maryland could have a good chance to upset Hopkins at home.
No. 4 Johns Hopkins (10-4, 3-1 Big Ten)
Johns Hopkins leads the series all-time at 67-49-1 but has dropped the last five to Maryland.
Hopkins has one of the deepest and most talented teams in the country, with 23 players with at least one goal and at least 25 players with one point.
Freshman middie Matt Collison has been on fire for Hopkins and is one of the most talented freshmen in the country. He currently ranks as the No. 27 freshman in the nation by Inside Lacrosse.
His 20 goals are fifth-best on the team, alongside his 27 points.
Tim Marcille is Hopkins’s lone player on the Tewaaraton Watchlist, and he has had an impressive year.
After playing as a backup goalie for the 2022 season, he started this year for the Blue Jays, and his third-best save percentage ranks behind Jack Fracyon and Brian Ruppel’s in the Big Ten.
Hopkins also has a solid defensive core, including Scott Smith, who has 17 caused turnovers in 14 games. Additionally, four other players have ten or more caused turnovers on the season.
Hopkins has to come into Maryland and be strong defensively to hold the Terps.
The Matchup
The Rivalry will be played on Saturday, April 22, at SECU Stadium in College Park.
Adrianna Gallucci is a first-year student majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, please email amg7989@psu.edu.
