#6 Georgetown (10-4) vs.
#3 Maryland (10-5)
Sun., May 22, 2005
12 noon
Princeton Stadium
Princeton, NJ
Date and Time: Sunday, May 22, 2005 at 12 noon
Location: Princeton Stadium (27,800), Princeton, NJ
Tickets: $15 - Adults; $10 - Children under 12 & Students with I.D.
Tickets can be purchased at the gate or via phone by calling 609-258-3539. There is a $5.00 surcharge for all phone orders.
TELEVISION: Watch live on ESPNU or locally in the D.C. metro area on Comcast SportsNet. Dave Ryan (play-by-play) and Quint Kessinich (color) will be calling all the action. Full broadcast can be found by visiting:
http://www.ncaasports.com/lacrosse/mens/story/8469672
Web Sites: GU (www.guhoyas.com), Maryland (www.umterps.com)
The Scoop
The 2005 season began in February with Georgetown taking on Maryland and now the two teams meet again. This time more is on the line, as the two will face-off in the NCAA Quarterfinals with a berth to the national semifinals in the balance. Georgetown has faced the Terps in the tournament before, back in 1997. It was the first year in the history of Hoya lacrosse that Georgetown had qualified for the NCAA Championship. The game ended with Maryland on top 14-10 but began a string of nine straight NCAA appearances for GU, a streak that only Johns Hopkins and Syracuse can match. That 1997 matchup was the first ever between the schools and since then the two have met three other times, all coming the past three seasons. Maryland won all three including its 13-6 win this season.
Georgetown's first round win against Army this past Sunday marked the Hoyas fourth straight NCAA First Round win and seventh all-time berth in the NCAA Quarterfinals. Two players dominated their respective positions against the Black Knights. Senior long stick and 2005 Tewaaraton Trophy finalist Brodie Merrill had one of the most dominating defensive performances in all of college lacrosse this season. Merrill moved to close defense and held one of the nation's top goal scorers, John Walker, to zero points, the first time that had happened to Walker in 44 contests. On the day Merrill was credited with eight groundballs and six takeaways and so flustered the Army offense that three penalties went against the Black Knights on plays he made. Merrill's fellow senior and 2006 U.S. Men's Team hopeful Andy Corno also produced one of the finest efforts ever winning 15-of-16 face-off attempts, which percentage-wise ties for eighth in the history of D-I lax. Corno's career numbers are amazing. He already owns all of Georgetown's records for face-offs and groundballs but he also is one of the all-time greats in lacrosse history. His .644 career face-off win percentage is sixth all-time, his 609 wins ranks seventh, his 945 attempts are ninth and his 331 groundballs are sixth.
What Merrill, Corno and all the other Hoyas are up against is one of the hottest teams in the nation, the Maryland Terrapins. Just over one month ago Maryland was .500 (5-5) and facing a must win game at Fairfield. Maryland won that game 9-6 and then preceded to defeated #3 Virginia (8-7 - ot) and #2 Duke (9-5) in the ACC Tournament on its way to five straight victories, including last weekend's NCAA win over Penn State. Close defender Steve Whittenberg and goalie Harry Alford lead Maryland's rebuilt defense. On offense five players have over 10 goals, led by Joe Walters with 31 and Bill McGlone with 24.
You Should Know...
Georgetown is making its fourth straight appearance in the NCAA Quarterfinals, only Johns Hopkins can match that feat, and Georgetown has won seven of its last eight first round NCAA Championship games.
You Should Also Know...
Senior goalie Rich D'Andrea has been GU's starter in the Hoyas last five NCAA Championship contests. In those five games D'Andrea and the Hoya defense have held four of the five opponents to eight goals or less and D'Andrea's GAA is 6.99.
Complete Game Notes:
#6 Georgetown vs. #3 Maryland (05/22/05)
NCAA SEMIFINALS AND FINALS INFORMATION The 2005 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championships will be held at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on May 28-30. For tickets, log on to
www.faceoffphiladelphia.com or call Ticketmaster at 215.336.2000.
Accommodations in Philadelphia can be made through lacrossetravel.com.
It doesn't matter how you get here... Just Get Here!
The Division I semifinals will be televised live on ESPN2 starting at 11:30 a.m. Eastern time on Saturday, May 28. The championship game will be televised live on ESPN starting at Noon Eastern time on Monday, May 30.
The tournament is returning to Philadelphia for the third time (1973 and 1992). Also for the third year in the history of the tournament, the championships will be played in a professional sports facility - Lincoln Financial Field, home of the 2005 NFC Champion Philadelphia Eagles.
