Championship Monday: No. 7 Maryland and No. 1 Notre Dame Set For Title Game Clash

Men's Lacrosse 5/26/2024 1:49:00 PM

#7Seed Maryland (11-5)vs.#1Seed Notre Dame(15-1)

NCAA Championship

May 27, 2024

Lincoln Financial Field

Noon

ESPN

COLLEGE PARK, MD-No. 7-seeded Maryland will play for its fifth NCAA Championship on Monday when the Terps face No. 1 Notre Dame in the National Championship game. The game will air on ESPN at a new start time of noon.The Terps are playing in the National Championship game for the eighth time since John Tillman's first season in 2011.

The meeting between Maryland and Notre Dame is one between the past two National Champions. The Terps won it in 2022 with an undefeated 18-0 season while the Fighting Irish are the defending champions, winning the first title in program history in 2023.

Maryland is coming off a dominant semifinal victory in which it held No. 6 Virginia to its lowest goal total (6) under Lars Tiffany. The Terps were excellent defensively in the 12-6 win and got a first-half hat trick from Daniel Kelly and a 15-22 performance at the faceoff X from Luke Wierman.

Notre Dame, who was not lost since February this season, was equally as dominant in its semifinal win, besting No. 5 Denver 13-6. Pat and Chris Kavanagh combined for nine points in the win.

series history - Notre Dame

The two programs have met 17 times before, with the first coming in 1995 and every other matchup coming in the 2000s. Maryland holds a 9-8 all-time advantage.
The two teams have met in the NCAA Tournament five times, with Maryland holding a 3-2 advantage.
The last time the two teams met in the postseason came in the 2021 Quarterfinals. Anthony DeMaio scored 39 seconds into overtime, sending the Terps to their 27th Final Four.
Maryland and Notre Dame played earlier this season in South Bend in a top-ten matchup. The Fighting Irish came out on top 14-9. Devon McClane had six points to lead Notre Dame while the Terps got four points from Eric Malever.
The two teams have met in the NCAA Semifinals just once, coming in 2003. Virginia ultimately won 14-4.
Each side has four game winning streaks in the short series.

The Terps are 9-8 all-time against the Irish. The two sides have never met in the NCAA Championship game.

NCAA Numbers

The Terps are intheir46th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history and an NCAA-best 21st straight appearance. The next highest NCAA postseason streak is six (Virginia and Georgetown).
The program is 73-41 all-time in the tournament with 28 Final Four trips.
Since 2011 under coach John Tillman, the Terps have made every tournament, gone 31-10, and earned 10 Championship Weekend appearances with two NCAA Championships.
The Terps are searching for their fifth NCAA Championship in program history. This marks the eight title game the Terps have appeared in since 2011 (all under Tillman).
The Terps are the No. 7 seed for the sixth time in program history. This is the first time the Terps have made the Championship as a No. 7 seed.
See Also
Baseball Clinches Big Ten Tournament Berth With Sweep Over Maryland - Penn State Athletics Where does Lindy’s Sports have Ohio State in Big Ten, national races?National Wrestling Hall of Fame on LinkedIn: Memorial Day is a day to remember those who gave their lives in defense of…Nebraska Baseball is Big Ten Champs!!

Under John Tillman, Maryland has been in10 of the last 13 Final Fours and eight of the last 13 Championship games.

Wierman In the record books

With his 12th of 17 face-off wins at Richmond on Feb. 3, 2024, Luke Wierman became Maryland's all-time program leader in face-off wins. He broke Andy Claxton's record of 648 that had stood for over three decades. Henow stands at 866overall.
Against Duke on Saturday, May 11, Wierman claimed another program record, recording eight groundballs to give him 456 for his career. That broke another of Claxton's records that was set in 1992.
Wierman set yet another program record against Princeton on Feb. 24, 2024 as he won a remarkable 20 of 23 faceoffs for 87%, marking the highest faceoff win percentage in program history for those who won a minimum of 20 faceoffs.
His 62.0 winning percentage this season ranks third nationally.

Wiermanhas won over 70% of his faceoffs in the postseason.

McNaneycontinues to climb rankings

When Logan McNaney started in cage at Richmond on Saturday, Feb. 3, it marked his first game action in just under a year. After suffering a season-ending ACL injury against Loyola last season, McNaney missed the remainder of the 2023 season. Against the Spiders, McNaney played all 65:05 minutes and made 13 saves, including two in overtime.
Headinginto the NCAA Championship, McNaney currently stands at 575career saves.

Against Rutgers on April 13, Logan McNaneynot only made a season-high 15 saves, he also tied his career best with seven groundballs.

Maltz Reaches100 Career goals, Moving up the career points list

Daniel Maltzscored the game's first goal between the Terps and Fighting Irish on March 3 and officially cemented himself as the 18th Terp in program history to score at least 100 points.
Maltz currently sits 24thall-time with 156career points and 12th all-time with 120career goals.
Thanks to an extra-man goal against Princeton on May, Maltz also sits in a tie with Matt Rambo for the fourth most extra-man goals in program history (17).

Maltz reached the 100-goal mark on March 3 against the Irish.

Zappitello on the caused turnover charts

Ajax Zappitello is climbing the career caused turnovers list. With 74CTs, he's in a four-way tie for sixth all-time.
Zappitellois one of just 16 Terps to eclipse 50 caused turnovers.
He caused at least one turnover in 13games this season, and has multiple in 10 games.
Zappitello has beennamed theEnners Outstanding Player of the Year and the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.
Against Duke, Ajax Zappitello held Duke's Josh Zawadato just one point. He followed that up by holding Virginia star Connor Shellenberger to just one goal and two points.

Zappitellowas drafted No. 3 overall in the 2024 PLL Draft on Tuesday, May 7 by the Maryland Whipsnakes.

Overtime is terp time

In three of the first six gamesthis season, the Terps have found themselves in overtime---coming out victorious in all three.
Owen Murphy got the job done in Maryland's season opener at Richmond, connecting from deep in 2OT. SSDM George Stamos was the unlikely hero at Syracuse, notching the game-winner off a successful Maryland clear. Daniel Maltz notched the winner against Brown, coming off a feed from Braden Erksa.
Maryland went 2-1 in overtime games last season, with overtime wins at No.1 Virginia and at No. 19 Ohio State.
The Terps are 15-8 in overtime games under John Tillman and have won five straight dating back to last season.