In order to contain a quick-starting team, you must prepare your own squad appropriately. Sometimes it’s best to be that quick-starting team.

Maryland coach Cathy Reese and her second-ranked Terrapins are readying for a fourth-ranked Syracuse side that has been on the front foot in 2019. 

The Orange (6-1, 1-1 ACC) have blitzed their opponents in the opening 30 minutes of games this season, owning halftime leads in every game. Syracuse has been averaging 10.3 goals in the opening frame, while conceding just 3.9. For the Terrapins (5-0), the focus remains on a complete-game preparation.

“It’s not about early leads,” Reese said. “We have to defend from the first whistle to the last. Syracuse has a really strong attack that’s really hard to defend. … We have to defend a lot of real dangerous players, that pose the biggest challenge. We have to make sure that we’re ready to limit the opportunities they have.”

Among those dangerous players is leading scorer Emily Hawryshuk (22 goals) who has netted four markers in each of her last three games. 

“They’re a team that’s had dangerous players every year,” Reese said. “[Hawryshuk has] really stepped up for them and leading the way. She’s someone who will go hard one-on-one to goal. Our style of defense doesn’t change against a team like this. Our slides need to be where they are, if we’re late against a team like this they’re going to score.”

NO. 4 SYRACUSE AT NO. 2 MARYLAND
WHEN: Saturday, March 9, 12 p.m.
WATCH: BTN Plus

Maryland goalkeeper Megan Taylor will be tasked with stopping those Syracuse shots, which are connecting on frame over 75 percent of the time. Taylor has a .557 save percentage, higher than the .535 she posted as the 2017 IWLCA national goalie of the year during a national championship season. That percentage dipped to .477 in 2018 due to what Reese attributed as a younger defensive corps covering for Taylor.

“Now that our defense is a year older and she’s a senior captain, she’s leading the way,” Reese said. “She’s an outstanding goalie and seeing the ball really well. When our defense puts the offense in positions of tough angles, it makes it easier for her to stop shots.”

The Terrapins will be looking for their 11th straight victory over the Orange in a rivalry that gets the players excited. 

“It’s one of those games that we don’t have to get fired up for,” Reese said. “It’s natural. The girls are ready. It’s good to see where we are and we encourage our team to come out strong every game. It only matters what we do. Draw controls will be really important as well because it’s something that Syracuse does well and we do well.”

Certainly, a key to containing the Orange offense will be in the possession game. The Terps have gained the draw 56.2 percent of the time compared to Syracuse’s 51.3 percent. Maryland’s closest game this season was a 13-12 overtime win against North Carolina where the Terps lost the draw battle 21-7. 

On Saturday, Maryland will rely on Lizzie Colson (23 draw controls) and Kali Hartshorn (21) against Syracuse’s Hawryshuk (18), Braelie Kempney (15) and Ella Simkins (15). Of those five, Hartshorn has the largest responsibility of playing multiple positions, which Reese said aids her on the draw circle.

“Kali has great stickwork and good game sense, and she’s a good shooter,” Reese said. “For her, you can see her stickwork on the circle and bringing the ball down. Then she’s somebody who can be actively involved on offense and get good looks on cage. When we get it to her inside, she can score.”

Other games highlighting the weekend include:

• No. 7 Virginia at No. 3 North Carolina
  Saturday, 12 p.m. (ET), ACC Network Extra
  
  A well-rested Tar Heel squad will host its first ACC game in the new UNC Lacrosse & Soccer Stadium this weekend. The Heels rolled to a 10-goal win over Northwestern in the stadium’s inaugural game. Expect that North Carolina’s possession control will rule the game as the Heels have won a 2-to-1 advantage in draw controls this season led by Ally Mastrioanni’s 23. Virginia is coming off a 20-9 win over George Mason and a 16-11 loss at Syracuse that was never closer than three goals in the final 35 minutes. With limited possession time, Virginia will have to make the most of its opportunities and utilize its highly accurate shooting that ranks 13th nationally at 47.5 percent. 

• No. 19 Georgetown at No. 5 Penn
  Sunday, 1 p.m. (ET), ESPN+
  
  Maybe Penn was looking ahead to its Saturday matchup with Georgetown in its unexpectedly tight 12-10 win over Drexel on Tuesday. Nevertheless, Saturday’s game presents a pair of excellent defensive teams. Penn ranks sixth in scoring defense (6.6 goals allowed per game) and Georgetown is tied for 13th (8.0) goals allowed per game). Both teams have played Johns Hopkins and Drexel as a comparison: Penn is 2-0 and Georgetown is 1-1. The Quakers beat Hopkins 11-10 in overtime, while Georgetown lost to the Blue Jays on a goal in the final seconds. The Hoyas dominated Drexel, 16-5. Penn has a chance to sneak up the rankings and cement its place in the top five ahead of a mid-week clash at Maryland. 

More Games On Our Radar

All times are listed in ET. For a full list of broadcast games, please visit our US Lacrosse TV listing page.

FRIDAY, MARCH 8

3 p.m.

No. 13 Denver at Fairfield (Facebook Live)

5 p.m.

Kent State at No. 11 Michigan (MGoBlue)

7 p.m.

USC at Arizona State (Pac-12 Plus)

9 p.m.

Colorado at No. 14 Stanford (Pac-12 Plus)

SATURDAY, MARCH 9

12 p.m.

Brown at No. 16 Navy (Patriot League Network)
No. 15 Duke at Louisville (ACC Network Extra)

1 p.m.

Albany at Penn State (BTN Plus)
No. 12 Princeton at No. 17 Stony Brook (ESPN+)

2 p.m.

No. 20 Florida at High Point (ESPN+)

3 p.m.

No. 8 Johns Hopkins at Hofstra (Pride Productions)

7 p.m.

No. 1 Boston College at No. 10 Northwestern (BTN Plus)

SUNDAY, MARCH 10

10 a.m.

No. 13 Denver at Harvard (ESPN+)

12 p.m.

Rutgers at No. 6 James Madison (MadiZone Audio)

1 p.m.

Towson at No. 11 Michigan (MGoBlue)

3 p.m.

Virginia Tech at USC (Pac-12 Plus)

4 p.m.

Oregon at No. 14 Stanford (Pac-12 Plus)