The Terps did just that in their first two duals of the season, notching bonus points in eight of a possible 20 bouts as Maryland cruised past Gardner-Webb, 27-13, and The Citadel, 24-9, in Charleston, South Carolina.

Jaxon Smith secures bonus points in both contests

In No. 5 Jaxon Smith’s return to competition last weekend, the 184-pounder cruised to commanding victories in two of his three contests, notching wins by technical fall and major decision.

Saturday offered similar resistance, as Smith’s first bout against Gardner-Webb’s Hadyn Danals lasted all of 33 seconds.

[Inside Branson John’s offseason regimen for Maryland wrestling]

After tallying a takedown roughly 13 seconds in, Smith put both arms around the waist of Danals and drove his back into the mat. Smith finalized the pin just 14 seconds later, marking his shortest bout this season.

The pin marked one of five bouts in which the Terps secured bonus points against the Runnin’ Bulldogs.

Smith’s second bout lasted the full seven minutes, but the score was not much closer. Smith remained aggressive in the opening period, tallying nearly half of his total points on a takedown and a near fall within the first 100 seconds.

He notched three more takedowns throughout the remainder of the match, resulting in an 18-4 win by major decision against The Citadel’s Brodie Porter.

125-pound struggles following strong start

Coach Alex Clemsen said Tuesday that both Tyler Garvin and Abram Cline would get an opportunity to wrestle in Maryland’s first two duals.

The two sophomores combined for a 13-2 record in the two prior tournaments. But Saturday’s bouts resembled more of what Maryland saw last season.

[Maryland wrestling notches three top finishes at Journeymen Collegiate Classic]

Garvin got the nod in Maryland’s (2-0) opening dual against Gardner-Webb (3-2) and was aggressive in the first period, taking two leg shots within the first 60 seconds. Garvin got nothing from either shot and struggled the remainder of the bout. Senior Tyson Lane took the opening round, 6-0.

Cline’s second bout differed in style, but yielded the same result. He took a more conservative approach, picking up a stalling warning early in the opening period against The Citadel’s (2-3) Gylon Sims and spending all but 30 seconds of the following period earning riding time.

With the score even at one heading into a sudden victory period, Cline had an opportunity to secure a win. But Sims tallied a takedown near the edge of the circle to cement a 4-1 victory.

Branson John stays undefeated

With two bouts remaining against Gardner-Webb, Maryland had an opportunity to clinch the dual without relying on its inexperienced heavyweight room.

The right player for that task stepped onto the mat: No. 16 Branson John.

The 197-pounder boasted a 7-0 record heading into Saturday, with three wins coming by major decision. The sophomore ended the match 46 seconds into the third period with a 19-0 win by technical fall. The two bonus points gave Maryland a 23-13 lead and ensured no chance of victory for Gardner-Webb in the final round.

John’s second bout carried the same result. The California native scored a majority of his points late in the third period, securing a win by major decision. The victory gave Maryland a 17-9 team score, making the final bout a moot point in the final outcome.

With senior Kal Miller electing to redshirt this season, the Terps need contributions from players other than No. 5 184-pounder Jaxon Smith and No. 10 133-pounder Braxton Brown.

No. 16 Branson John has shown promising signs he can do more than just contribute at 197 pounds. The sophomore sports a 7-0 record — three against opponents inside Flowrestling’s top 26 at the weight.

“I think he’s doing a good job of getting to his positions,” coach Alex Clemsen said. “He’s being very purposeful [and] he’s making sure that the action goes in the direction he wants it to.”

John was recruited to College Park as a 184-pounder, but moved down a weight class when Smith decided to drop to the 184-pound class. John began his freshman year at about 200 pounds and was forced to shed close to 26 pounds to make the 174-pound weight group. The cut took a toll on him.

[Maryland wrestling notches three top finishes at Journeymen Collegiate Classic]

“You think about it  24/7,” John said. “You wake up in the morning, check your weight, think about what you can put in, how much you can drink throughout the day.”

John added that he felt physically weaker and more sluggish. It showed on the mat during an inconsistent freshman campaign. John posted a 14-19 record, but finished strong, placing sixth at the Big Ten tournament and qualifying for the NCAA tournament.

John’s plan heading into the offseason was to redshirt the next season and take Smith’s position after he graduated, until his body “took off.”

John said he didn’t do anything differently in the summer, but entered his second season with more muscle.

The added weight and John telling the coaching staff he didn’t want to redshirt led Maryland to move him up two weight classes. Clemsen had dealt with an offseason physical change two seasons ago, when Brown jumped from the 125-pound to the 133-pound class.

After hearing he would wrestle at 197 pounds, John changed his diet. He began to consume more protein, drink a gallon of water everyday and use creatine daily.

When John made his debut at the 197-pound class in Maryland’s Red vs Black scrimmage, he shone, but was visibly tired in the final period.

John acknowledged that his stamina needed work after the scrimmage, and made an effort to improve it in the week before the season opener.

The sophomore ran for two miles on the treadmill twice a week and used the ski machine after practice.

[Oscar Williams made a case for a starting spot with Maryland wrestling]

“It kind of replicates like a snap down, in a way,” John said about the ski machine. “Just moving your full body and being able to do that for five minutes at a time, I feel like it helps my gas tank.”

The adjustments have yielded significant results for John, enabling him to maintain his aggressive play style while still having energy in later periods. One of the best examples came in John’s bout against Navy’s No. 17 Payton Thomas in the Journeyman Collegiate Classic.

After a reset to neutral position with 36 seconds left in sudden victory, John quickly walked back to the center of the mat as his opponent slowly got up to meet him. Six seconds later, John gained inside positioning and pulled Thomas to the ground, securing the winning takedown.

The win was John’s third against a ranked opponent this season and has contributed to his consistent rise.

“He’s doing a great job of staying on top of guys and making them carry his weight and making them work really hard to get up and get off the mat,” Clemsen said. “If you can be committed to really holding somebody down on top, he can change a match, and he’s doing a good job of doing that right now.”

The sophomore cruised through the competition despite jumping two weight classes, winning all of his bouts by at least seven points.

While John didn’t achieve the same level of success on Sunday, he claimed a second consecutive first-place finish at the Journeymen Collegiate Classic in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. It improved his season record to 7-0 and was one of three top finishes for the Terps.

Branson John continues torrid start

At the Southeast Open on Nov. 2, John was impossible to miss. The new 197-pounder not only flashed lopsided wins, but toppled two ranked opponents — one via major decision.

His performance launched him to No. 22 on Flowrestling’s 197-pound rankings. He continued his strong play Sunday.

John secured his first bout by major decision, but faced his toughest opponent in the early season in the following round robin round — Navy’s No. 17 Payton Thomas. John accrued most of his points in his prior five bouts by taking advantage of early opportunities to secure takedowns and put his opponents in a quick and early deficit.

He employed a similar strategy against Thomas, but struggled to notch takedowns. Despite multiple body slams to the mat, Thomas continuously kept his hips up to prevent his lower half from falling to the ground. The result left John frustrated as he trailed to begin the third period for the first time all season.

An early escape point and a riding time point from John forced a sudden victory, where John found similar frustration in securing a takedown. From the sidelines, coach Alex Clemsen encouraged John to “stick with it.”

[Oscar Williams made a case for a starting spot with Maryland wrestling]

John did that — recording a bout-winning takedown with 28 seconds remaining, which improved him to 3-0 against ranked opponents this season.

Jaxon Smith begins season with championship

Last weekend the Terps were without No. 5 184-pounder Jaxon Smith due to his participation the night prior at the NWCA All-Star Classic.

The redshirt senior struggled in that bout as No. 7 Zack Ryder used his strength and explosiveness to overpower Smith at certain points.

But Smith looked more like his All-American self from the season, cruising through two round robin contests via major decision.

Smith saw much steeper competition in the finals. Instead of unranked opponents, Smith faced No. 16 James Conway from Franklin and Marshall.

[Maryland wrestling’s Branson John, Braxton Brown shine at Southeast Open]

Smith’s difference in approach was noticeable. Instead of using early period take downs to build a sizable lead, he used the first period to feel out Conway. Smith attacked in the subsequent periods, notching a late-period takedown in both the second and third periods to claim a 7-4 win.

Maryland sees improved play from 157-pound class

Sophomore Mekhi Neal was the other Maryland first-place finisher Sunday.

The Terps entered the season with a gaping hole at the weight class with the transfer of three-time NCAA Qualifier Ethen Miller to Virginia Tech.

Maryland only started freshman Garrett Reece at the position at the Southeast Open. Reece struggled in the freshman/sophomore division, dropping his two contests.

The Terps elected to start Neal on Sunday, who Clemsen hinted may start in duals for the Terps in the preseason.

The sophomore provided immediate results for the Terps, winning his first bout by technical fall in just 85 seconds. Neal’s bout didn’t prove to be much more difficult than his first, winning his second contest by an 11-5 decision and holding an 11-4 lead until a takedown in the final seconds of the third period against Navy’s Charlie Evans to solidify a first-place finish.

The position was a strength last season. Seth Nevills placed seventh in the Big Ten playoffs but then graduated. The Terps brought in North Carolina State transfer Chase Horne, but he’s now injured.

The Terps are left with three heavyweight wrestlers and little experience, but Oscar Williams took steps toward seizing the open position.

The redshirt freshman was noticeable, finishing as the runner-up in the freshman and sophomore division.

“Probably just about every one of his wins, to be honest, there was something that he did great,” coach Alex Clemsen said. “The first two rounds, he rolled tech fall and a pin and in semis, in his quarterfinals, he did pretty darn well. So I just thought all weekend he wrestled well.”

[Maryland wrestling’s Branson John, Braxton Brown shine at Southeast Open]

Last season, the start of tournaments was a struggle for Williams. He frequently lost his first bout and spent the remainder of the tournament in the consolation bracket. The 2025 season opener was different — Williams dominated his first match and won by technical fall in the first period.

In Williams’ next bout against freshman Anthony Brown of Presbyterian, he immediately spotted Brown was undersized.

Williams used the advantage and started the match aggressively. Williams quickly looked for a takedown, ducking under the hand fighting to grab his leg and driving Brown to the ground for an early three points.

“As soon as I got to that take down, I took him down straight to his back,” Williams said. “So I felt pretty confident that I was like, ‘I could probably end this pretty early and pin him somehow.”

When Brown attempted to get up, he used a snap single-leg technique to drive Brown flat on his back, securing a pin and ending the match in 34 seconds.

Williams tallied a total wrestling time of almost three minutes out of a possible 14 minutes through the first two rounds. By the semifinals round against Franklin & Marshall sophomore Brody Kline, it was clear to Williams that his quick wins provided an advantage.

[After a decade of progress, Maryland wrestling tests its Big Ten staying power]

“In the third period, I was definitely starting to wear on him in the hand fight and move him a little bit more,” Williams said. “Eventually, I knew that I would either get a snap down, go behind, or he would take a bad shot, and he ended up just taking a bad shot.”

The 5-0 semifinals victory sent Williams to the championship round, where he lost to North Carolina freshman Jacob Levy.

Despite the runner-up finish, Clemsen said he needed to see more from the entire heavyweight group, as neither Williams nor redshirt sophomore Joey Schneck did enough to sway his choice at starter.

“Oscar just needs to be more consistent,” Clemsen said. “His skill level is high … He just hasn’t quite translated it yet to college wrestling, to Division I wrestling, at the highest level, and I know it’s in there.”

Sophomore Branson John dominated through the 197-pound open bracket, going undefeated and winning three of his four bouts by major decision. John placed first in his division and was one of seven Terps who finished inside the top five of their weight class.

Branson John cruises to championship

John moved up two weight classes to start the season. He spent all of last year at the 174-pound class and started Maryland’s Red vs. Black scrimmage at 197 pounds.

The sophomore flashed in the scrimmage with his aggressive style, winning 16-9. But by the third period, John was noticeably tired. His shoulders sagged, and he put his hands on his hips during time stoppages.

John acknowledged afterward that his conditioning needed to improve, and it did on Sunday. John continued his aggressive style, claiming at least three takedowns in every bout.

[After a decade of progress, Maryland wrestling tests its Big Ten staying power]

“You don’t score on the shots you don’t take. So just keep creating offense,” John said on Oct. 23. “The more shots you take, the more you set yourself up to win.”

John’s early aggression allowed him to build up big leads and use the third period to conserve stamina. By his final match, the difference in energy was obvious.

While West Virginia redshirt freshman Rune Lawrence had his hands on his hips and took heavy breaths, John continued to stay aggressive. He notched three takedowns in the first two periods and finished the bout with a 10-point margin of victory.

Braxton Brown places second

Jaxon Smith, the Terps’ 184-pounder, did not compete in Sunday’s tournament due to his participation in the NWCA All-Star Classic on Saturday Night in New Jersey. That left No. 8 Brown as the most experienced wrestler, and it showed in his first two bouts.

Brown played cautiously but strategically. The redshirt senior used the first two periods as a feeling-out process before pulling ahead in the third. In both bouts, Brown held a lead no larger than a point before scoring in the game’s final minute to advance to the next round.

His next two rounds were the complete opposite. While Brown jumped out to a big lead in the semifinals, No. 30 Dillon Campbell did the same in the finals.

[Fans growing restless as Maryland football drops fourth straight, 55-10 to No. 2 Indiana]

The Virginia Tech redshirt freshman claimed three takedowns within the first two periods, forcing Brown to play more aggressively in the final period.

Despite the loss, Brown still placed second in the open bracket.

Maryland’s 125-pound class turns in strong outing

In the preseason and after Maryland’s Red vs. Black scrimmage, coach Alex Clemsen challenged the entire 125-pound class.

He stated that no one in the class secured a starting role last season and was visibly frustrated by its performance in Maryland’s intersquad scrimmage.

“All three of them, they’ve been on notice for a while,” Clemsen said after the scrimmage. “They’re going to stay on notice till somebody separates and wrestles to the level that should be the standard of our program.”

The group entered the Southeast open short-handed, as an injury to Presden Sanchez’s elbow in the Red vs. Black scrimmage left the Terps with just two wrestlers in the weight class.

But sophomores Abram Cline and Tyler Garvin performed well. The two combined to win seven of their nine bouts, and both placed within the top five of the 125-pound freshman/sophomore bracket.

The two played prudently, preventing their opponents from gaining leverage for takedowns and surrendering four points or fewer in all but one bout. Cline had an opportunity to claim the championship, but fell 3-0 to Campbell’s Colby Crouch. The redshirt freshman produced both of Maryland’s losses at the 125-pound group.

Regardless, the two top-five finishes are a promising sign for a group that struggled last season.

The program hit several benchmarks, including its first road win against a top-10 opponent since 2009 and first All-American honors since 2019.

But roster changes and an injured heavyweight competitor force Maryland to play a young, inexperienced team this season.

“It kind of depends on what we do with our lineup,” coach Alex Clemsen said on the program’s next steps. “We may strategically redshirt a couple of guys, which could make us really young next year.”

One of those players redshirting is three-time NCAA qualifier Kal Miller. Clemsen first mentioned a redshirt year to him at the end of last season, and the two decided in the preseason to follow through, Miller said.

Redshirting still allows him to compete in open tournaments, including Maryland’s season opener at the Southeast Open on Sunday.

[‘I just wanted to wrestle’: Chase Horne’s journey from N.C. State to College Park]

When dual competitions start, the Terps will need contributions from less-experienced wrestlers such as freshman Jackson Young, who secured a victory as a 149-pounder in Maryland’s Red vs. Black scrimmage.

“He’s getting a lot better, so I’m excited for him and everyone at that weight,” Miller said.

Miller’s brother — Ethen Miller — transferred to Virginia Tech in the offseason. The 157-pounder sported a 23-5 record with nine wins coming by major decision. Filling his spot will likely be Mekhi Neal, who flashed in Maryland’s annual Red vs Black scrimmage, defeating his opponent 17-1.

The Terps will also begin the season with a young heavyweight room. Maryland brought in junior Chase Horne from North Carolina State to fill the void of Seth Nevills, but the Georgia native was on crutches during the Red vs. Black scrimmage due to an injury.

Clemsen did not comment on the status of Horne’s injury or if he will compete in Maryland’s season opener.

The injury leaves Maryland’s heavyweight class with little experience. The remaining three players boast just 20 combined wins.

But Maryland’s roster still has proven winners returning this season.

Redshirt senior Jaxon Smith highlights the group with All-American honors last season— Maryland’s first since 2019.

Smith ranks fourth at the 184-pound class according to Flowrestling and his season will start a day before the rest of the Terps as he faces No. 7 Zack Ryder from Oklahoma State at the NWCA All-Star Classic on Nov. 1.

[Maryland wrestling continued its slow climb through the Big Ten]

Redshirt senior Braxton Brown should also be a key player for Maryland. The 133-pounder advanced to the top 16 at the NCAA Championships while sporting a team-best 18-1 dual record.

If Maryland wants to take the next step, it will need contributions from both its newcomers and weight classes that have previously struggled.

The 125-pound class has arguably been Maryland’s worst during its climb through the Big Ten. Last year, sophomores Abram Cline and Tyler Garvin posted a combined record of 18-34.

“Our 125-pounders need to do more wrestling,” Clemsen said. “They need to try more moves. They need to be more offensive. They need to show their athleticism more.”

The Terps will have over two months of non-conference play to sort their unit. Then, a conference gauntlet awaits. The slate may work in their favor as five of its final seven duals are at the Xfinity Pavilion — where Maryland finished 4-3 last season. Over the last three years, The Terps’ have won more conference duals at home, so the team will look to those final Pavilion matches to prove itself as a staple in the Big Ten.

As a child, Horne was captivated by the Hardy Boyz as the tag team jumped off ring ropes and landed on opponents. Already a hyper kid with a brother three years older than him, it didn’t take the Horne brothers long to start imitating the moves they saw on TV on the couch, trampolines and even the neighborhood pool.

It eventually brought their parents to enroll the brothers in wrestling practices. Horne went on to win four Georgia State championships as a high school heavyweight and committed to N.C. State. But after a redshirt freshman year and inconsistent playing time, Horne transferred to a Maryland program in need of a heavyweight.

“I only have a limited time in college. So I really want to get my time to compete and wrestle and have fun,” Horne said. “I just needed an opportunity.”

Horne’s father first took him to a wrestling practice when he was six — and the experience stunned him. Expecting to see WWE moves and flying acrobatics, he watched technical motions on the mat instead.

Horne picked up the skill quickly. By seventh grade, Horne was talented enough that he practiced with his older brother on the high school varsity team.

“It’s the only time we’ve ever allowed a seventh grader to come up and practice with high school, with parental consent,” said Mitch Lawhorn, Horne’s high school wrestling coach. “Chase was definitely way more mature than a lot of his middle school counterparts.”

Regardless of the age difference, Horne was competitive in practice. Lawhorn credited Horne for improving his practice partners during training, who both later won state titles.

[Maryland wrestling continued its slow climb through the Big Ten]

It was not until eighth grade that Horne broke out.

His moment came during Christmas break when Horne was partnered with his older brother, then a senior. The two got paired in “take down kings,” a drill where athletes aim to record as many takedowns in two minutes as possible. Even with an 80-pound difference, Lawhorn said Horne “embarrassed” his brother.

The drill’s intensity continued to escalate as the two exchanged blows and were separated by the coaching staff. The Horne brothers didn’t speak to each other during dinner that night.

Lawhorn and another coach noticed the brothers had gotten close to blows before in the previous few practices.

“This is going to happen today,” Lawhorn remembers telling another coach ahead of the practice.

A year later, Horne dominated the Georgia high school wrestling scene. He finished his career with a 194-2 record while winning two Georgia State Titles at the 220-pound weight class and two at the heavyweight class. His only two losses came as a freshman, Lawhorn said.

Horne’s high school success caught the attention of N.C. State, who reached out to him during his sophomore campaign. Horne could not take an official visit due to COVID-19 restrictions, so the Wolfpack sent four-time All-American Trent Hidlay to Georgia to recruit him.

Horne arrived in Raleigh as MatScout’s No. 3 recruit at the 285-pound weight class, but elected to redshirt his freshman season because of a crowded heavyweight room.

The competition did not get easier for Horne as he progressed through college. Fellow heavyweight Owen Trephan was just a year older than him, and sixth-year Isaac Trumble jumped from 197 to the heavyweight class last year, earning an All-American nomination.

[Maryland wrestling star Ethen Miller transfers to Virginia Tech]

Horne’s coaches recommended that he drop down to the 197-pound class to compete more, but Horne’s transition was tough. To make the weigh-in for his new weight class, Horne needed to drop about 53 pounds.

“It was an insane cut and something that really hindered my performance,” Horne said. “I was way more worried about the weight than the actual wrestling I was doing.”

The experience drove Horne to the transfer portal. He believed he’d transfer to West Virginia, until he received a notification. The message did not come through the transfer portal, but instead from Maryland’s All-American Jaxon Smith over Snapchat.

Smith and Horne knew each other growing up in Georgia and played on the same travel wrestling club.

“Before I got the portal, I was thinking [Maryland] could be someone who may want to reach out,”  Horne said. “I was pretty set on West Virginia, and then he reached out and completely shifted me.”

Maryland’s coaching staff soon arranged for Horne to visit on Easter. Not long after his visit, he committed.

The move was necessary for Maryland as heavyweight Seth Nevills’ graduation left a room with just 20 combined collegiate matches between three other heavyweights.

Horne now hopes to bolster that position for the Terps and add to a program that has gradually won more conference matches in the last three seasons.

“This is the best I’ve felt,” Horne said. “I’m gonna win a lot of matches. I’m gonna be totally different than some of my past results.”

No. 6-seed Maryland masked some of its turnover problems in recent games with stout defense, but a season-high 24 giveaways allowed Penn to defeat Maryland for the second time this season.

“It’s a disappointment,” coach Cathy Reese said. “We want to be competing in a Final Four every year … and we fell short of that goal this season.”

Reese said on March 26 that she wanted her team to stay under 10 turnovers. Maryland did that just five times in 21 games. Two of those games came within Maryland’s last four contests before the Big Ten finals, but the Terps reverted back to their high-turnover tendency.

The Terps’ turnover struggles against Northwestern in the Big Ten championship primarily manifested in the third quarter. Instead of sitting back, Northwestern increased its defensive pressure by sending double teams and stick-checking the Terps from the back.

The adjustment minimized Maryland’s offense, limiting the Terps to 12 second-half shots while they committed eight turnovers.

[Late collapse ends Maryland women’s lacrosse’s season, falls 11-10 to Penn in NCAA tourney]

Despite a near-two week gap between the Big Ten championship and the first round of the NCAA tournament, Maryland’s turnover problems persisted.

With four minutes and 45 seconds left in the opening quarter against Fairfield on Friday, freshman attacker Shelby Sullivan attempted to break toward goal upon receiving a pass from fellow attacker Chrissy Thomas. But senior midfielder Haley Burns dislodged the ball from Sullivan’s stick.

While Sullivan quickly regained possession, Reese screamed from Maryland’s sideline to “stop getting back checked.”

The Terps previously played the Quakers in late March and committed 13 turnovers. The Terps committed a season-high 24 on Sunday.

Maryland’s woes mostly came in the third and fourth quarters when Penn ramped up its defensive intensity. The Terps notched 14 turnovers in that span, surpassing Penn’s total for the game.

The Quakers relentlessly checked Maryland’s offensive unit and utilized more double teams that attacked the Terps from the front and back. Northwestern made the same adjustment against Maryland in the Big Ten finals — the Terps scored just twice in that game’s second half.

[Shea Keethler used his ‘never-ending engine’ to overcome adversity, thrive at Maryland]

“We just got back checked today all over the field,” Reese said. “When [Penn] stepped up their pressure, we just didn’t handle it well. We ran into double teams, and they ended up causing turnovers all over the field.”

But Penn didn’t force Maryland’s most costly turnover on Sunday. Junior Terps defender Neve O’Ferrall appeared to produce a game-winning defensive stand with eight seconds left, but flung an errant pass toward senior defender Sophie Halus.

Senior Penn midfielder Gracie Smith picked up the ground ball and quickly passed it to senior attacker Erika Chung, who scored with two seconds left to tie the game. Penn scored again in double overtime, preventing the Terps from reaching the quarterfinals for the second time in three years.

“That’s not like us,” Reese said. “That’s not a normal turnover that our defense has.”

Maryland women’s lacrosse hadn’t played in an overtime game this year. But in the Terps’ biggest contest of the season, Penn got its elusive extra period win.

Backed by Catherine Berkery’s overtime winner, Penn (12-6) edged past No. 6-seeded Maryland 11-10 on Sunday at the Maryland Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex. It is the Terps’ second loss this season against the Quakers and marks consecutive years that they have lost in College Park in the NCAA tournament.

“It’s a heartbreaker,” Maryland coach Cathy Reese said. “For Penn to even … cause a turnover in the last couple seconds of the game and score to send it to overtime, you know, shows the kind of battle this game was.”

[Maryland women’s lacrosse advances past Fairfield in first round of the NCAA tourney, 16-7]

Maryland (15-6) committed 17 turnovers against Fairfield in its prior game. Those struggles carried over against Penn’s No.18-ranked scoring defense, as the Terps committed a season-high 24 turnovers.

“Our game plan was just to have some more pressure get on their hands,” Penn defender Natasha Gorriaran said. “Last time, we kind of ended up sinking back a little more, and this time, it was a really big focus to get up and pressure out.”

Maryland’s 22nd turnover proved to be the most costly one. After defender Neve O’Ferrall forced a turnover with eight seconds remaining and a one-goal lead, the junior flung an errant pass that bounced into the stick of Penn midfielder Gracie Smith.

The senior then hurled a pass to attacker Erika Chung, who tied the game with two seconds remaining.

It was a crucial mistake in the contest’s waning moments.

“We should have just thrown the ball,” Reese said. “I don’t know that we knew how much time was left on the clock, but [we] just should have checked it.”

[With the help of Caroline Smith, JJ Suriano is peaking late for Maryland women’s lacrosse]

JJ Suriano’s regular-season clash vs. Penn was one of her worst outings of the season. Maryland women’s lacrosse’s sophomore goalkeeper made just five saves on 16 shots on goal and was pulled from the game with 13:01 remaining in the fourth quarter.

But since Maryland’s four-game road trip at the end of March, Suriano has turned her season around. The goalie has recorded at least a .429 save rate in six of her past seven games and continued that streak on Sunday, finishing with a .577 save rate.

Suriano’s rematch against Penn started almost identically to her performance in Philadelphia, as senior midfielder Anna Brandt opened the scoring on Penn’s first possession. But the sophomore settled in after the early goal, stopping six of the next seven Quakers’ shots on goal, and finished the game with 16 saves.

“She’s an excellent goalie, and I’ve loved how she’s developed as a player this year,” Reese said. “The D in front of her has done a nice job of setting her up, and when she’s put in that situation, she comes away with some big saves.”

Penn’s top-ranked offense entered the game red-hot, scoring in double-digits the past six games. Brandt, the program’s all-time leading goal scorer, scored three goals in each of her prior two contests against the Terps.

The Terps’ defense didn’t solely rely on their goalie. Penn attacker Catherine Berkery, who stands at 5-foot-10, is a constant presence in the Quakers’ attack. She tallied five goals and eight points in Penn’s first-round matchup.

But Maryland matched Berkery against defender Annabella Schafer for most of the first half. Schafer’s 5-foot-11 frame prevented Berkery from using her height and forced the Quakers to find alternative options.

But Berkery was able to get open on Penn’s final play of the game and send the Quakers to the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals. The goal ended Maryland’s season on its home turf for the second straight season, this time in stunning fashion.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misstated that Annabelle Schafer forced a turnover with eight seconds remaining. It was Neve O’Ferrall. A previous version of this story also misstated that O’Ferrall is a junior. She is a sophomore. This story has been updated.

The Terps dropped the opening draw against Fairfield but quickly flipped the script, outdueling the Stags in the circle, 15-12.

Backed by their performance in the draw circle and a potent offensive attack, No. 6-seeded Maryland defeated unseeded Fairfield, 16-7, at the Maryland Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex on Friday in the programs’ first-ever meeting.

Maryland earned its 18th consecutive NCAA Tournament first-round win and will host the winner of Penn and Army.

“I thought in the first half we were excellent in the draw,” coach Cathy Reese said. “Their draw team is very good, so for us to be able to counteract that and come up with as many draws as we did was really good for us today.”

[With the help of Caroline Smith, JJ Suriano is peaking late for Maryland women’s lacrosse]

Fairfield entered Friday’s contest having won nine of its previous ten games, largely behind its success in the draw circle. But Kayla Gilmore disrupted that trend, securing nine of her 10 draw attempts and halting the Stags’ momentum. Her dominance helped fuel a 7-0 Maryland run early in the game.

The Terps had scored just seven times against Northwestern in the Big Ten championship, but surpassed that total just over 20 minutes into Friday’s second quarter. Unlike that lopsided loss, Maryland’s offense was balanced — with nine different players finding the back of the net.

“We got time from everyone that could have played today, which was great, and got to see them be able to contribute in different ways,” coach Cathy Reese said. “I love when we can see the depth, and everybody contributing. It’s something we’ve been emphasizing all year.”

Still, much of Maryland’s early offense came from junior midfielder Kori Edmondson, who entered the game amid career highs in goals, assists and points. The Tewaaraton nominee starred again, factoring into three of Maryland’s first five goals. She added a third goal in the third quarter, slipping a shot between the legs of Fairfield freshman goalkeeper Keira Furey.

[Maryland women’s lacrosse earns No. 6 seed in NCAA tournament]

Edmondson’s third goal not only marked her sixth straight game with at least a hat trick, but also gave coach Cathy Reese the chance to substitute Kayla Gilmore for attacker Hailey Russo on the draw.

The senior had taken draws intermittently throughout the season — most notably in the Big Ten Quarterfinals, when Gilmore was out for personal reasons. Russo helped Maryland to 21 draw controls in that win over Rutgers, and she added four more against Fairfield, helping the Terps maintain a comfortable lead down the stretch.

After the Big Ten Championship loss to Northwestern, Reese said she needed more from her attackers. Sophomore Lauren LaPointe delivered. She scored a career-best five goals — nearly a third of Maryland’s total — and posted her third multi-goal performance in the last four games.

“I think it’s just the chemistry with my teammates,” LaPointe said. “I think I’ve really grown a lot closer to them just through this tournament play and so many games in a short amount of time.”