The Terps have been plagued by their issues avoiding miscues this season.
John Tillman’s teams always seem to play with elite discipline. Regardless of who is wearing the Maryland men’s lacrosse jersey, the Terps embrace their motto of “Be the Best,” extending that mantra to the little things, like protecting the ball and clearing at a high level.
But on Saturday, Maryland didn’t do either. It dropped a one-goal heartbreaker at Michigan, giving the Terps back-to-back regular-season losses for the first time in nearly seven years. In that game, they turned the ball over 17 times and had six failed clearances.
Maryland also gave the ball away 17 times in its loss to Virginia and 16 times in its loss to Notre Dame, failing six clears against the Fighting Irish.
Last season, the Terps successfully cleared the ball 93% of the time. So far in 2024, they are doing so at just above 86%, and have not had a clearance success rate above 84% in any of their losses. Against Michigan, they were at a season-low 70%.
“It is important not to have back-to-back possessions,” defensive midfielder Nick Redd said after losing to Virginia. “You got to be able to clear the ball at a high rate, and when that [failed clears] happens consistently, it makes it hard to play defense.”
Clearing is not the only situation in which the Terps have thrown away possessions; Maryland’s offense, usually known for first-class ball movement, has thrown a number of errant passes, too. Against Michigan, the Terps had a four-on-three break, and long-stick midfielder Jack McDonald pushed the ball upfield, drew a defender and fired a pass toward Braden Erksa. But the ball sailed out of bounds, costing Maryland a scoring chance and giving possession away.
“We got to work on the fundamentals of our stick work,” Tillman said following Maryland’s loss to the Wolverines. “You know, obviously, decision-making. A lot of times it’s just poise in the moment. You know, if there is some pressure, are you handling the ball well?”
Maryland has turned the ball over 126 times this season, averaging nearly 16 turnovers per contest — on pace for their highest average in more than five years. Perhaps more concerning: only 60 of those turnovers have been forced by opposing defenses, with 66 being recorded as unforced.
The bright side for Tillman’s group is that it forces opponents into turnovers of their own. Maryland’s defense has caused 61 turnovers, but its opponents are averaging just 14 per game, giving the Terps a negative turnover margin.
In past years, when Maryland had one of the most potent offenses in the country, it could make up for lost possessions with high shooting percentages. In 2024, though, the Terps are taking a more methodical approach, so maximizing the number of looks on cage is even more critical.
“Sticking to the game plan and letting the ball do the work,” midfielder Jack Koras said of the keys to Maryland’s offensive success. “… Not letting the ball die and getting everyone touches. And once we do that we know we can be a great offense.”
The Terps hope to execute that plan when they travel to Penn State on Sunday, aiming to avoid their first three-game losing streak under Tillman. They’ll need to protect the ball to do so.