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Maryland Lacrosse: Sunday’s game could decide Tewaaraton Award

By Chris Bengel

May 23, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Maryland Terrapins attacker Matt Rambo (1) celebrates one of his goals against the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays during the fourth quarter in the semifinals of the NCAA division I men's lacrosse championships at Lincoln Financial Field. The Maryland Terrapins won 12-11. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
May 23, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Maryland Terrapins attacker Matt Rambo (1) celebrates one of his goals against the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays during the fourth quarter in the semifinals of the NCAA division I men's lacrosse championships at Lincoln Financial Field. The Maryland Terrapins won 12-11. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Tewaaraton Award is the most prestigious honor in the world of college lacrosse.

On Saturday, finalists Matt Rambo and Connor Fields will go head-to-head when Maryland faces Albany in the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals.

Fields and Rambo are arguably the two frontrunners for the award and that shouldn’t come as a huge surprise. Both players are the biggest offensive threats on their respective teams and score over two goals-per-game.

While both players are gifted goal scorers, their roles as facilitators may be their most impressive qualities.

There’s few better than Rambo when it comes to surveying the defense. The Glenside (Pa.) native usually draws a large amount of the defense’s attention and is often double-teamed once he gets near the cage.

He is averaging 2.44 assists-per-game on the season, which is good for eighth in the country.

Rambo often draws the slide and his pinpoint passing skills are on full display. It also doesn’t hurt that the Terps have a plethora of goal scorers in the likes of Jared Bernhardt, Colin Heacock, Connor Kelly, and Tim Rotanz.

On the other hand, Fields is just as crafty with the ball cradled in his stick.

When he first arrived at Albany, Lyle Thompson was the team’s facilitator and now Fields has assumed that role. Fields is averaging 3.59 assists-per-game this season and has 61 in total.

Fields has incredible vision that can even make the most honest defense look pedestrian. In the first meeting against Maryland, the star attackman registered three goals and five assists while recording a game-high 14 shots on goal.

Rambo and Fields are the pieces that make their respective teams go. While Albany and Maryland wouldn’t be lost without them, it’s fairly certain that they wouldn’t be national title contenders without having them to run their offense through.

Both teams allow just nine goals per contest, but this has the potential to be a very high-scoring affair. Rambo and Fields are arguably the two most lethal goal scorers in the country, so it’s hard to imagine a repeat of the first meeting between these two teams.

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If one of these teams end up playing on Memorial Day, it’s hard to imagine them not coming away with the Tewaaraton Award.