The Terps and Stags meet up for the first time ever.
The calendar has swung to May, meaning the start of the NCAA Tournament for No. 6-seed Maryland women’s lacrosse has nearly arrived.
After playing three games in five days throughout the Big Ten Tournament, the Terps received a well-needed near-two week break. Maryland — who fell in heartbreaking fashion to top-seed Northwestern in the Big Ten title game — will have a shot to make another deep run in the NCAA Tournament.
The Terps have reached the Final Four 28 times in the tournament’s 42 years, bringing home a nation-leading 15 national championships. But Maryland has hit an extended drought, failing to bring home a title in the past four tournaments.
Having earned the program’s second consecutive top-eight seed, the Terps will host the first two rounds of the tournament. Maryland’s postseason journey begins on Friday at noon against Fairfield and will be aired on ESPN+.
Fairfield Stags (11-7, 7-1 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference)
Head coach Laura Fields’ 10-year tenure at the helm has reached historic levels within a previously struggling program. Fairfield secured just two NCAA Tournament appearances before Fields’ arrival. She has since guided the Stags to six consecutive berths, all cut short in the opening round.
However, Fairfield didn’t look like a tournament-caliber team throughout its nonconference slate, securing just two wins in its eight contests. The Stags dropped both contests against teams in this year’s field, falling to Army and Denver in blowout fashion.
Fairfield quickly flipped a switch once conference play began, though. The Stags cruised through MAAC competition, defeating eight of their 10 opponents by at least four goals. Their lone blemish came over a month ago against Mount St. Mary’s, when it lost 10-7 on the road.
Players to know
Amanda Kozak, graduate student attacker, No. 18 — Kozak has been a reliable attacking option since her sophomore campaign, and this season has amplified that. The MAAC Offensive Player of the Year is the top facilitator in the conference with 37 assists while also contributing 34 goals this season — the third-highest mark on the team.
Brynn Donnelly, junior midfielder, No. 10 — After a breakout sophomore season, Donnelly has taken her game to another level, remaining a staple in Fairfield’s faceoff unit. She has corralled 8.1 draw controls per game, which ranks 16th in the country. Donnelly’s success in the circle has helped her earn All-MAAC first-team honors.
Grace Slater, senior attacker, No. 18 — Slater combined to produce 38 goals across her first three seasons with the Stags. However, the Maryland native has exploded in likely her final year, tying the team-high with 45 scores and adding 19 assists. Slater enters the tournament in red-hot form, notching 16 tallies over the past four contests.
Strength
Faceoff battles. Fairfield’s domination in the circle has helped generate extra looks for its offense. Behind Donnelly’s raw talent and faceoff skills, the Stags rank 30th in the nation with a 55.1% draw control percentage and 32nd with 15 draw controls per game. Both teams have relied heavily on their faceoff units, meaning Friday’s clash could be won in the circle.
Weakness
Net protection. Fairfield has started freshman Keira Furey in every game since its season opener, and Furey’s inexperience has come back to bite it. Furey — an All-American netminder in high school — has struggled to match that success in her first year, managing the second-lowest save percentage (39.3%) and saves per game (6.5) in the MAAC.
Three things to watch
1. First ever meeting. Maryland’s lacrosse program has existed for 52 years and Fairfield has been around for 29 seasons, but Friday’s contest will be the first matchup. The Terps have fallen in the opening round just twice in their 44 tournament appearances, which came in back-to-back seasons.
2. Two red-hot programs. The Stags enter the NCAA Tournament winners of their last six contests and nine of their previous 10. The Terps are playing their best lacrosse of the season, having secured seven victories in their nine games. However, one of these streaks will end in the first round.
3. Does rust play a factor early on? Maryland hasn’t played a game in nearly two weeks, its longest break from action all season. The Terps will need to string together a couple of complete performances if they hope to make a deep run. But rust could be evident early on, with their lack of recent game time.