Thirteen turnovers in the first half. The Terps seemed a step slow and not emotionally charged. Some outside shots kept them in the game — from Henry West in particular. But a characteristic of a champion is finding a way to win an important ball game when you’re not clicking at full speed. Maryland did that. Whether it was subtle adjustments or a gut check delivered from a team leader, this halftime can be used as a turning point or launching point for a title run. Maryland looked sharp during the final 30 minutes.
Terps don’t have dominating dodgers, but they grind on offense and spin the ball well and can shoot their way out of trouble with Jay Carlson and Mike Chanenchuk. The defense is super-solid, Niko Amato didn’t look good on Rob Emery’s right-handed high-to-low early rip, but he shook it off and played well as usual. The 9-6 final puts the Terps at 3-1 in the ACC.
ESPN analyst Paul Carcaterra made an astute point towards the end of the broadcast about how opponents must make it a transitional game, use the full field and score in ways not associated with 6-on-6 vs. the Terps. Maryland excels in slow tempo and in half-field scenarios. Their only transition is off of Charlie Raffa face-off wins. Turtles don’t like to run fast.
from insidelacrosse.com
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