Navy’s decade-plus drought against Maryland is over. So is the Terrapins’ stay at No.1.
The No. 4 Midshipmen never trailed while upending Maryland 9-6 yesterday in an error-filled game at Byrd Stadium. Navy snapped an 11-game losing streak to its cross-state rival, a stretch dating back to 1992, and earned its first victory over a No.1 team since the academy started keeping records of rankings in 1973.
“We’ve walked out of this game for several years very disappointed,” Navy coach Richie Meade said. “It’s nice to see our players walk out with a smile on their faces.”
The Terrapins (8-1) became the last Division I team to lose this season and will cede their No.1 ranking after two weeks at the top. Maryland coach Dave Cottle insisted his team wasn’t looking ahead to its game Saturday at archrival Johns Hopkins, which likely will become No.1.
“We prepared for Navy, and we practiced hard,” Cottle said. “To say that takes away from how well Navy played today. I think our players competed, played hard and Navy deserved to win today.”
The Mids (8-1) could make a reasonable case for the top spot. They’re riding their longest winning streak since an 8-0 start in 1986 and have road victories over Army, Georgetown, Maryland and North Carolina — each a top-10 team.
It was an impressive victory but hardly a clean one. Navy committed 35 turnovers and botched 14 of its 26 clearing attempts.
Still, Maryland made its share of mistakes, including 29 turnovers. The Terps’ season-long faceoff woes finally proved costly as Navy took 12 of the 19 draws and dictated the tempo throughout.
“I can’t take anything away from them,” Maryland defenseman Chris Passavia said. “They outhustled our guys in many different areas. When the bounces seem to go their way, that’s usually because they work the hardest.”
At the defensive end, Navy didn’t allow the Terps many chances to take shots from within 15 yards, making things easier on sophomore goalie Matt Russell (12 saves).
Navy also deciphered Maryland goalie Tim McGinnis, something few have accomplished against the graduate student this season. The Mids consistently fired shots over McGinnis’ left shoulder in building a 5-4 halftime lead.
“We watched a lot of film, and he was going down low a lot, so we tried to keep the ball in the top half of the net,” said senior attackman Joe Bossi, who scored three goals for the Mids.
Maryland tied it a little more than a minute into the third quarter when Bill McGlone deposited a 10-yarder past Russell. The Terps appeared to have taken their first lead with 10:21 left in the period when Mike Brown fired Xander Ritz’s feed into the net, but the goal was nullified when Brown was whistled for a crease violation.
From there, Navy waited for opportunities to pounce. Bossi scored an extra-man goal late in the quarter to put the Mids back ahead. Navy padded its lead when Graham Gill snared the rebound of a McGinnis save and swiftly sent it past the Maryland goalie.
“When we scored that goal to go ahead and all the sudden they took it away, I think that would have helped us because it would have given us some confidence,” Cottle said. “Navy went after our best players a little bit, and our other guys didn’t step up.”
Passavia held Ian Dingman, the Mids’ leading scorer, in check for much of the day, but the 6-foot-3, 248-pound attackman scored twice in a 95-second span in the fourth quarter to assure the victory.
Ultimately, the day served notice the Mids are a legitimate national title contender. With perhaps the best resume of any team in the country and the program’s first NCAA bid since 1999 all but certain, Navy’s days as an underrated team might be drawing to a close — though the Mids might not believe it just yet.
“As much as we do, we’re always going to be underrated. I don’t know why; that’s just how it goes,” Bossi said. “Maryland, Hopkins, they’ve always been good. We’ve been struggling the last couple years, but now we’re back on top.”
No. 2 Johns Hopkins 6, No. 10 Duke 5
DURHAM, N.C. — Kyle Harrison scored twice as the visiting Blue Jays (7-1) held off the Blue Devils (4-5). Goalie Aaron Fenton made 20 saves for Duke, which had a potentially game-tying goal waved off as time expired.
No. 6 North Carolina 11,No. 12 Virginia 9
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Paul Spellman made 13 saves as the Tar Heels (6-3, 2-1) clinched second place in the ACC. Matt Ward scored five goals for the Cavaliers (3-6, 0-2), who must win out to reach the NCAA tournament.
No. 7 Georgetown 13, Vermont 5
NEW CANAAN, Conn. — Walid Hajj scored a career-high six goals as the Hoyas (6-2) pummeled the Catamounts (4-6).
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