by Todd Carton
College Park, MD – Perhaps Maryland women’s lacrosse coach Cathy Reese wants to help a local program grow and develop into a rivalry. Perhaps she had a limited travel budget. Or perhaps she wanted her first two games to allow her the space to get a fell for a roster that saw 11 seniors graduate from last season’s national championship squad before they face an early season gauntlet that has three of their next four games at number two North Carolina, number three Syracuse and at number ten Florida. The Terps flexed their muscles against an outclassed Hoya squad and cruised to an 18-8 win.
Freshman Megan Taylor got the first start of her Maryland career and was barely tested as Georgetown needed nearly eight minutes to simply get the ball across midfield an Maryland roared to a 12-0 lead. The Terps needed just 53 seconds before senior Bryn Boucher scored her first goal of the season on an assist from Zoe Stukenberg and the rout was on. Boucher’s score was followed in quick order by goals from freshman Caroline Steele, Stukenberg, Taylor Hensch, and Jen Giles all in the first five minutes. In this flurry, neither Taylor Cummings nor Megan Whittle attempted a shot.
The onslaught continued and when Stukenberg connected for her second score of the half, with barely 13 minutes played, Maryland had amassed a ten goal lead and started the running clock. By the time the half ended Whittle had scored twice and Cummings closed the scoring with her fifth of the season as the Terrapins took a 14-2 lead into the break.
The Terps weren’t as sharp in the second half as Reese shuttled players in an out while still giving her starters plenty pf run probably expecting she will need to shorten her bench against UNC. Georgetown won the second half 6-4 at one point scoring six straight to shift back to standard timekeeping.
In all, eight Terps scored with Whittle’s four leading the way. Cummings only scored once but she picked up six of Maryland’s 20 draw controls. She also led the Terrapins with three assists and picked up a ground ball while adding two caused turnovers.
The Terps will travel to Chapel Hill to take on North Carolina. The game will not be the anticipated one versus two matchup as the Tar Heels will be looking to bounce back from their 17-16 home loss to Florida early Saturday.
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