WASHINGTON — Graduation weekend has come and gone on the campuses of the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University, but for a handful of student-athletes, there is still work to be done. The Terrapins and Blue Jays lacrosse teams are set to square off Saturday in Philadelphia in the National Semifinal at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
This will be Maryland鈥檚 23rd Final Four, and the fourth in the Terrapins鈥� last five seasons. But they haven鈥檛 gotten over that final hurdle, to win a National Championship, since 1975.
That was 40 years ago. Furthermore, this year marks the 20th anniversary of Maryland鈥檚 stunning victory over then top-seeded Hopkins at this very same stage, the National Semifinal.
As if that wasn鈥檛 enough of a sign of the planets aligning, these two teams have already met this season, with Hopkins coming into College Park and snapping Maryland鈥檚 11-game winning streak with a 15-12 victory. That means this weekend has the trifecta of sports storylines built in: history, tradition and retribution.
Of course, it鈥檚 also the National Semifinal game. Senior midfielder Charlie Raffa doesn鈥檛 need any more motivation than that.
The faceoff specialist, who has battled injuries throughout his college career, is healthy now and has one last shot to lead his team to a title.
鈥淚t鈥檚 pretty cool to get to play Hopkins, but we鈥檙e looking more at this as a semifinal game we have to win,鈥� he said Thursday before the team boarded the bus to Philadelphia.
Raffa has been there for Maryland鈥檚 recent runs, a bevy of success, but always falling just shy of the ultimate prize. Rather than absorb that history — and the school鈥檚 history — as added pressure, he uses the experience and support as fuel.
鈥淲e have the experience, so I think that鈥檚 definitely helpful,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 so much alumni who are in touch with us at all the time, trying to help us out. Those guys having our back is huge.鈥�
Head coach John Tillman has enjoyed unprecedented success in his first five years at the helm, but is also still looking for that coveted championship. The fact that a rival like Hopkins stands in the way makes no difference to him.
鈥淵ou have a lot of rivalry games you play over the course of the year, and each have their added significance,鈥� Tillman said. 鈥淲hen you get to the Final Four, you鈥檙e going to play typically a pretty traditionally strong program, and really that鈥檚 what we have. If it wasn鈥檛 Hopkins, it was Syracuse.鈥�
To that end, Hopkins upended the second-seeded Orange, 16-15, after previously crushing seventh-seeded Virginia, 19-7. Given what the Blue Jays did to the Terps a few weeks back, that doesn鈥檛 surprise Tillman.
鈥淲e knew going in they were a really good team, and obviously they proved it that night,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e need to do better. Certainly the faceoffs are going to be important, the groundballs.鈥�
Raffa won 12-of-20 faceoffs the last time the two matched up, and may need to do even better to lead the charge Saturday.
On their own trip to the Final Four, the Terrapins escaped an 8-7 rematch against one of the only other teams that had beaten them this year in Yale, then upset third-seeded North Carolina in a huge, 14-7 victory. The winner of this matchup will take on the winner of Notre Dame and Denver on Monday. But it will also carry the torch for perhaps the most lacrosse-crazed state in the union.
Maryland will also be represented by their women’s team in the Final Four, but there will be no in-state rivalry on the way to the top-seeded Terrapins trying to defend their national title. Hopkins and Loyola聽— as well as聽other locals James Madison and Virginia — have all been eliminated already.
鈥淏eing part of Championship Weekend is special for a lot of reasons,鈥� Tillman said. 鈥淭o get Maryland there is a source of pride for us. For lacrosse, this is as good as it gets. It鈥檚 our state sport.鈥�
Regardless of which team gets that chance, getting to play on the national stage (all games will be televised on ESPN2) is what these players work for all season, and Tillman intends to get the most out of the experience.
鈥淲e want them to have fun and enjoy every last second,鈥� says Tillman. 鈥淲e鈥檙e either going to have two or four more days together, and that鈥檚 it.鈥�
