North Carolina
Maryland
Men's Lacrosse Falls To Maryland, 10-9
March 25, 2000 | Men's Lacrosse
March 25, 2000
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Seventh-ranked Maryland, powered by a career day by junior midfielder Chris Malone, defeated sixth-ranked North Carolina in men's lacrosse for the fifth straight time 10-9 Saturday afternoon before 1,456 fans at Fetzer Field.
Malone scored a career-high four goals and sophomore midfielder Mike LaMonica added three goals to provide 70 percent of the Terrapin offense. Brian Zeller added one goal and three assists for the Terps who improved to 6-1 overall, winning their fifth straight game. Maryland also evened its Atlantic Coast Conference record at 1-1.
The Tar Heels dropped their second game in a row after starting the season with six straight wins. UNC is 0-2 in the ACC. The Tar Heels were led by senior attackman Matt Crofton with three goals and one assist and junior attackman Jeff Sonke with two goals and one assist.
Maryland has now won five in a row over North Carolina dating back to the 1997 season. Three of the victories have come by one goal. The win also broke a seven-game losing streak for Maryland at Fetzer Field. Six of the last nine games between the two teams have been decided by one goal.
Carolina led by 5-3 at the end of the first quarter as five different Tar Heels scored in the opening frame. But the Maryland defense clamped down and limited UNC to only four goals in the last 46:14 of the contest. Malone scored three successive goals in the second quarter while the Terp defense shut out Carolina to give Maryland a 6-5 halftime lead.
Craig Hochstadt scored an extra-man goal 5:17 into the third quarter to give the Terps a two-goal lead but two goals by Crofton and one by Sonke gave the Tar Heels their only lead the second half at 8-7. Just 46 seconds after Crofton's second goal, Zeller tied the game for Maryland and drew a slash on the play from Carolina sophomore defenseman Jon Manekin. LaMonica scored 38 seconds later on the ensuing extra-man opportunity to give the Terps the lead for good at 9-8.
LaMonica went on to score again with 7:38 left in the fourth quarter to up the lead to two goals. That goal was answered by UNC freshman Steven Will on an extra-man situation with 3:25 left. The Terrapins, however, controlled the ball for all but a few seconds of the remaining time and a final opportunity for Carolina did not result in a shot on goal.
Maryland will be back in action again next Friday at 8 p.m. at Byrd Stadium against second-ranked Virginia in a game that will be televised by WMAR-TV in Baltimore. Carolina will visit seventh-ranked Johns Hopkins next Saturday at 3 p.m. at Homewood Field in Baltimore. That game will be televised live by Home Team Sports.
