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Maryland Lacrosse: Three takeaways from win over Albany

By Chris Bengel

May 30, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Maryland Terrapins attack Tim Rotanz (7) controls the ball against the defense of North Carolina Tar Heels midfielder Tate Jozokos (28) during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
May 30, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Maryland Terrapins attack Tim Rotanz (7) controls the ball against the defense of North Carolina Tar Heels midfielder Tate Jozokos (28) during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Maryland lacrosse team put together one of the most impressive weeks of any team this season.

With No. 5 Albany and No. 1 Penn State on the schedule, the Terrapins weren’t phased at all as they defeated both teams. Most recently, Maryland topped Albany in a rescheduled game on Wednesday in a 12-11 decision.

Eight different Terps found the back of the cage against the Great Danes. Midfielder Tim Rotanz led the way with a hat trick.

Maryland has a 3-1 record this season when facing teams that are ranked in the Top 10.

Here’s our three takeaways from Wednesday afternoon’s victory:

  • Unquestionable depth – The casual lacrosse fan likely knows players like Colin Heacock and Matt Rambo. However, there’s way more to this roster than the likes of those two very talented attackmen. In Wednesday’s win, midfielder Tim Rotanz stepped to the forefront and help carry the Terps offensively. The junior scored all three of his goals on unassisted tallies. Rotanz really doesn’t need a lot of room to make his mark. Even if Heacock and Rambo were to have a poor outing, Maryland has so many talented goal scorers. The midfield has been phenomenal as of late with Connor Kelly recording a five-point outing against the Nittany Lions and Rotanz having his way against the Great Danes. With the amount of scoring depth that the Terps have, it’s going to be hard for any defense to slow this team down.
  • Dan Morris – It’s no secret that Maryland has one of the top offensive units in the country. However, it also doesn’t hurt to have an established goalie in the cage. Despite not playing at a consistent rate prior to this season, Dan Morris hasn’t missed a beat so far. In his first season following in the very successful footsteps of All-American Kyle Bernlohr, Morris has posted a 9.02 goals-against average, which is one of the better rates in the nation. Morris shined once again on Wednesday as he stopped 12 shots against a very lethal Albany offensive attack. The Terps have reached Memorial Day weekend so many times in recent years because of strong goaltending. First, it was Niko Amato then Bernlohr over the last two seasons. Morris looks to be that next great netminder in College Park.

Next: Maryland Football: Maryland's schedule ranked toughest

  • This is an elite group – After Saturday’s win over then-ranked No. 1 Penn State, many probably already believed that Maryland was a Final Four team. Wednesday’s win just validated that fact. The Terps are clicking on all cylinders right now with three regular season games left. The offensive attack continues to thrive and is one of the deepest units around. Maryland’s defense also isn’t too shabby either. Long-stick midfielder Matt Neufeldt was missed last season and he is playing some of the best lacrosse of his career. After being named the Big Ten Defender of the Week for his performance against the Nittany Lions, he scooped up six ground balls and forced three turnovers against the Great Danes. This may be the deepest team that John Tillman has had in his six years in College Park.