Loyola (Md.) Beats Maryland 9-3 For Lacrosse Title
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) -- Top-seeded Loyola of Maryland beat Maryland 9-3 Monday to win the NCAA men's lacrosse title behind Eric Lusby's four goals. Lusby set a record with 17 goals in the tournament.
The Greyhounds captured their first national lacrosse championship and finished the season at 18-1. Maryland (12-6) lost the title game for the second straight year.
Chris Layne added three assists for the Greyhounds, whose only loss this season was to Johns Hopkins in overtime on April 28.
When the game ended, Loyola's players rushed toward goalie Jack Runkel, leaving a trail of sticks, helmets and gloves for a celebratory pileup. The players then ran across the field and a few leaped into the stands where their fans were seated before lining up and shaking hands with the Maryland players.
The two Maryland schools are separated by about 30 miles, but it was only their 21st meeting and first since the Terrapins' 19-8 victory in the 1998 national semifinals.
The Greyhounds scored seven straight goals after falling behind 3-2 and shut out the Terrapins for the final 40 minutes, 40 seconds.
Lusby, who scored five times in the 7-5 win over Notre Dame in the semifinals, broke the tournament record of 16 goals shared by Matt Ward of Virginia (2006) and Zack Greer (2007) of Duke.
The Greyhounds scored three straight times in the second quarter for a 5-3 lead at halftime. Loyola's Justin Ward scored the only goal of the third quarter. Then the Greyhounds pulled away with three more in the fourth.
Lusby added his second goal 3:48 into the fourth quarter. He tied the tournament record with another goal with 5:07 left and broke it with the final goal of the game, scoring with 3:45 left.
Maryland opened the scoring on defenseman Jesse Bernhardt's goal with 9:36 left in the first quarter. The Terps went up 3-2 early in the second when Kevin Cooper scored from in front, but the Greyhounds scored the next seven.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
