Lacrosse downed in ACC Tourney

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — When Maryland attackman Grant Catalino received a pass on the left side of the field late in an ACC tournament semifinal game, he was immediately met by two North Carolina defensemen.

But even two defenders weren’t enough to slow him down. The junior had already matched the No. 3 UNC’s men’s lacrosse team goal-for-goal. Five goals, all by himself. And he wasn’t done.

Catalino started left, dug his heels in the turf and cut back right. While falling, Catalino used his 6-foot-5 frame to whip the ball straight into the empty net from 25 yards out.

UNC junior goalkeeper Chris Madalon was out of position, waiting to cut off a pass that never came.

“Most people don’t usually can that shot from out there,” he said. “Much less take that shot.”

Fifth-ranked Maryland (9-2) scored with ease against the Tar Heels (11-2) in a 13-5 blowout win Friday night. But the game didn’t start that way.

North Carolina midfielder Milton Lyles set an early tone, flattening a Maryland player within the first 30 seconds of the game and receiving a one-minute penalty for an illegal body check. But the Tar Heels failed to match that intensity for the remaining 3,570 seconds of the game.

Maryland got on the scoreboard midway through the first quarter on a Catalino shot and again late in the quarter courtesy of a Ryan Young score to take a 2-0 lead.

“We’ve been finishing strong, but we haven’t been starting fast,” said Maryland coach Dave Cottle. “To start off the way we did really gave our kids some confidence.”

The Terrapins continued their dominance in the second quarter, recording three goals to UNC’s two. In the seventh minute of the quarter, UNC midfielder Jimmy Dunster scored the Tar Heels’ first goal with an assist from sophomore attackman Thomas Wood. Four minutes later, Catalino scored his second goal of the evening.

The Maryland midseason All-American scored at least once in each quarter, while the Terrapins held UNC All-American Billy Bitter scoreless for the first time since May 10, 2008.

“Did he not score? No way,” Cottle said of the attackman’s performance. “We put a good athlete on him, and he’s banged up. You can see he’s still banged up.”

Despite an uncharacteristically bad first half, UNC entered halftime down 5-2 and still within striking distance. But the third quarter would be all Maryland.

The Terrapins notched three more goals and held the Tar Heels scoreless. UNC’s second-ranked defense, known all season for its towering size and strength, never looked smaller and more porous.

UMd. attackmen found cutters and open shooting lanes, leaving Madalon overwhelmed with pressure. Maryland also found his soft spot, scoring about three-fourths of its goals on shots below his waist.

“I think that’s one of the toughest saves for any goalie,” Madalon said. “You have to bring your stick from all the way stick-side-high to the bottom left corner.”

After Maryland scored two quick goals in the fourth quarter, UNC constructed a comeback, scoring three goals in less than two minutes. Following that, Bitter carved his way around the back of the net and launched a diving shot that would have made it a 10-6 game, but it was called off because he was in crease.

Catalino put an end to the run, scoring twice in the next two minutes — including his did-that-really-just-happen-shot from 25 yards out.

“I don’t know how he got open so many times,” Madalon said.

The loss was the largest losing margin since UNC coach Joe Breschi took over the program last season.

“I credit Maryland 100 percent for just absolutely dominating the game,” Breschi said. “In every statistical category, we got humbled, so we weren’t ready to play, and that’s on me.”

From the start of the season, the Tar Heels had two goals: to win both an ACC and a national title. Only the latter of its two goals is attainable now.

With time off and a regular season matchup against Ohio State left before nationals, that’s where the Tar Heels will turn their attention.

“You win championships in May, too,” Breschi said.

Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.