Senior Tewaaraton finalist Matt Rambo recorded a career-high eight points and matched a program NCAA Tournament record with six assists to lead the No. 1 Maryland men’s lacrosse team to a 13-10 victory over Bryant in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Sunday.
The Terrapins (13-3) will face No. 8 seed Albany Sunday in Newark, Del., at noon or 2:30 pm on ESPN2.
In addition to Rambo’s eight points, junior Tim Rotanz added a career-high five goals and Colin Heacock had three points. Sophomore Austin Henningsen won 11-of-20 faceoffs and had five ground balls.
Holding a narrow 6-4 advantage at the halftime break, the Terps blew the game open with a massive 7-1 run to take an insurmountable 13-5 lead.
Maryland opened the game with a pair of goals just over four minutes into the game from Heacock and Rotanz. After Bryant answered with its first of the game, Rotanz added his second to put the Terps up 3-1.
The Bulldogs pulled within a goal, 3-2, on a goal by Tom Forsberg, but Heacock scored his second of the contest with three seconds left in the quarter to double the Terps lead.
After a lengthy scoring drought, Maryland came out of the halftime break on fire scoring four straight goals. Rambo had a hand in all four goals, with two goals and two assists in the run.
Trailing 13-5 with eight minutes to play, Bryant stormed back with five consecutive goals in a desperate comeback attempt that just fell short.
Rambo’s six assists were the most for a Terrapin player since Dan LaMonica’s six-assist effort against Navy in 2003. It was only the second occurrence in an NCAA game, matching John Kaestner’s six assists in 1972 against Rutgers – also in the NCAA First Round at Maryland.
Rambo and the Terps met Albany earlier this season on April 12 in a midweek road thriller. Maryland managed to hold on for a 12-11 win in that game.
No comments have been posted yet, be the first!
Post a comment by filling out the form below.
