Buckeyes fall in lacrosse title game

Associated Press

FOXBOROUGH, Mass.

After back-to-back heartbreaks in the last two title games extended decades of frustration, Maryland was finally able to celebrate.

Dylan Maltz had two goals and an assist and Tim Rotanz scored three times as the top-seeded Terrapins defeated Ohio State 9-6 on Monday in the NCAA lacrosse championship game, putting an end to a 42-year title drought.

“It’s an unbelievable experience. You look at everyone who played so hard for this program and set such a platform for us to succeed, it’s awesome to see them in the crowd,” Rotanz said. “I have no feeling right now. I’m numb.”

Rotanz scored the final goal with 59 seconds left, allowing the Terps (16-3) a little comfort to count down the final minute after three goals by Ohio State in the fourth quarter pulled the Buckeyes within two.

The Terps held on, then rushed the field beneath a cloud of gloves and sticks they tossed in the air to celebrate putting an end to their own frustration.

“Two losses in two years is very hard to do and overcome, but that just says an awful lot of what the Terps are about,” said Connor Kelly, who scored his team-high 46th goal Monday.

It was especially gratifying for Kelly, a junior who just missed with a shot in overtime of last year’s championship game against North Carolina. A short time later, the Tar Heels scored and won it 14-13, extending Maryland’s pain another year.

Tre Leclaire had a goal and an assist for Ohio State (16-5), playing in the title game for the first time. Six players scored for the Buckeyes as they came up short in their third meeting against Maryland. The Buckeyes won the regular-season match 11-10, Maryland prevailed by the same score in overtime for the Big Ten tournament title.