No. 2 Seed Terrapins Rally to Reach Final Four

Maryland 12, Syracuse 10

Maryland's women's lacrosse team has played several close games in its undefeated season, so allowing four goals on Syracuse's first four shots yesterday wasn't about to keep the Terrapins out of the final four.

As they did in the Atlantic Coast Conference final against Duke, the Terrapins overcame a four-goal deficit in their NCAA tournament quarterfinal, a 12-10 victory at Maryland's Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex. ACC player of the year Caitlyn McFadden scored three goals in the second half, including two straight to break a 9-9 tie.

Second-seeded Maryland (21-0) advanced to the national semifinals for the first time since 2003. Its next game will be Friday night in Towson, Md., against third-seeded North Carolina. The Terrapins beat the Tar Heels, 13-8, at home on April 11, but they have won six games by two or fewer goals.

"We've been here before, in the ACC championship game," said third-year coach Cathy Reese, whose team trailed 8-4 in that 12-11 win. "We found a way to pull it together. I think that shows and says a lot about our team as we've gone through the season. I think we've said that after a lot of our games."

Within 7 minutes 50 seconds, Syracuse (14-5) had a 4-0 lead and Katie Rowan had two goals and an assist on her way to a five-goal, two-assist afternoon. Maryland, though, scored the next four goals and took a 7-6 lead on Kristy Black's goal six seconds before halftime.

"Never hesitate," Maryland sophomore attack Sarah Mollison said of her attitude after falling behind early. "I trusted my teammates and had faith that we would get the next draw and keep driving hard."

The Terrapins, who had a 34-21 shot advantage, were also challenged in the second half as the Orange tied the game on Tee Ladouceur's goal with 15:57 left. Maryland scored the next three, starting with a free-position shot and a low shot on the run from McFadden, a junior midfielder.

"I saw my opening and knew I could beat my defender," McFadden said. "I was trying to take smarter shots in the second half and really finish them."

McFadden finished with four goals and Mollison had three goals and an assist in helping the Terrapins make it to Towson despite losing eight senior starters off last year's NCAA quarterfinalist. The 2008 season ended with a loss to Duke in College Park, but Maryland is 27-1 at home in three years under Reese. Reese, a player on four of the Terrapins' record nine national championship teams and an assistant coach on three others, said this year's run is all about this year, not about results from past seasons or the matchup yesterday with former Terrapins assistant coach and legendary Syracuse player Gary Gait. But the second-year Orange coach couldn't help but recall an era in which he and Reese were part of seven straight national champions from 1995 to 2001.

"In the end, Maryland did what they've done all year -- make big plays at the end of the game," Gait said.

"It was nice to come back, and it was a huge game for us to try to take it to the next level. Maryland has a nice, balanced offense. It certainly does remind me of the good old days, how when they need a win they get it done."