Almost exactly one year from Sunday, one of the best games in Big Ten lacrosse history — and the 2018 NCAA season — went down in Piscataway, N.J. The host Rutgers Scarlet Knights rallied from down three goals to force overtime against the top team in the conference, Maryland.
The teams went back-and-forth through two overtime periods before Connor Kelly fired home the game-winner to give the Terps a 13-12 road win.
It was a big win for Maryland, which later made its historic run to the NCAA title. But for Rutgers, it was a loss that eventually caused it to miss out on the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments. After starting the season 8-0 and rising up the rankings, Rutgers had high hopes of making the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2004, but it didn’t happen.
Another year gone, and the Scarlet Knights are back in contention for a Big Ten title and a berth in the NCAA tournament. At 1-1 in conference, they will head to College Park to face No. 2 Maryland on Sunday night. Taking down the defending national champions is definitely one of the goals this program set before 2018.
“If we execute, Big Ten championship, beating Maryland and a national championship are all things we can accomplish,” senior Jules Heningburg said of his team’s goals.
NO. 7 RUTGERS AT NO. 2 MARYLAND
WHEN: Sunday, April 15, 7 p.m.
WATCH: Big Ten Network
Heningburg is a major part of the heart and soul of this team. He leads the offense (ranked 14th in scoring) with 57 points on 30 goals and 27 assists.
And he’s had to step up this season with the loss of star attackman Adam Charalambides for a second straight season. Heningburg and Kieran Mullins have helped keep the Scarlet Knights afloat in big games, like Mullins’ five points in a win over Lehigh and eight goals against Michigan, or Heningburg’s six goals and two assists in the win over Syracuse.
Heningburg has also helped elevate fellow offensive teammates like Tommy Coyne and Ryan Gallagher.
The Rutgers offense will have to be strong against a Maryland defense that sits 14th in Division I, allowing 8.70 goals per game. In the four-game win streak since falling to Albany, the Terps have allowed 35 goals.
This Maryland team has been well-balanced all season, boasting an offense that sits 10th in the country, scoring 12.40 goals per game. Heningburg will step on the field with perhaps the leading candidate for the Tewaaraton Award in Connor Kelly, who has 28 goals and 24 assists this season.
Kelly, like Heningburg, has helped raise the level of his teammates. Freshmen Bubba Fairman and Logan Wisnauskas have both benefited from his slick passing this season.
Maryland is the best team in the country in avoiding turnovers, with only 9.50 per game. Rutgers doesn’t fall far behind, turning it over only 11.70 times per game.
Two balanced teams will meet in primetime — one looking for revenge and another hoping to keep pace atop the Big Ten. With the highlights these teams have produced, the matchup shouldn’t disappoint.