Offensive inconsistency plagued Maryland men’s lacrosse in a disappointing season

Franklin Zessis
May 8
3 min read

Maryland men’s lacrosse coach John Tillman told his team after the Big Ten semifinals that they were in a position that was out of their control.

That problem came to fruition just three days later when the Terps did not hear their name called on Selection Sunday for the first time since 2002.

The second loss to Penn State was a microcosm of Maryland’s season-long struggles. Offensive inconsistency contributed to a season that stands in stark contrast to the program's prior two seasons.

“You're not guaranteed anything … You have to reset every year,” Tillman said. “Whatever happened last year doesn't matter and doesn't carry over, and those are important lessons.”

The biggest problem facing the Terps this year was their offensive inconsistencies. Maryland entered the season as Inside Lacrosse’s top-ranked preseason team in the nation and backed that ranking in its home opener against Loyola.

Maryland rattled off 19-goals, marking its highest goal total since the undefeated 2022 season. But its offense never looked the same afterward.

Some of that was due to injuries. Tillman stated that attackers Eric Spanos and Chris Lyons and midfielder Eric Kolar missed most of the fall season. Spanos’ injury woes continued into the Spring, as the graduate student missed three games with a lower-body injury. But when Spanos returned, Maryland’s offense still struggled to find consistent production.

Maryland’s offensive inconsistencies came from a combination of areas. Early in the season, the Terps struggled with what Tillman called “sloppy turnovers” as errant passes led to lost possessions.

Tillman also frequently stated the ball “died” or “got sticky” when Maryland got into its six-on-six sets, and prevented the Terps from spreading out its opponent’s defenders.

The early-season combination led to Maryland dropping three of its first four games and prompted a players-only meeting after an 11-8 loss to Notre Dame.

While Maryland improved after the meeting and fixed some of its turnover problems, the Terps’ offense remained inconsistent throughout the season.

“There [were] moments, especially later in the season, we didn't get to double digits,” Tillman said. “I think you're putting a lot on your defense if you can't get to double digits.”

The Terps' defense was also not healthy. During its overtime game against Virginia, 2025 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Will Schaller left the game due to an injury. But Maryland’s defense performed admirably without Schaller.

Sophomore Peter Laake assumed Schaller’s role in the defense and was solid, frequently limiting the opposing team’s top scorer. His performances were highlighted during Maryland’s two games against Rutgers, holding Colin Kurdyla — the Big Ten’s top scorer — to two combined points.

Maryland’s defense continued to play well in the Big Ten tournament, holding the conference’s top scoring offense to just eight goals. But Maryland’s offense tied a season-low six goals, resulting in the team’s sixth loss of the season.

Despite the loss total, Maryland entered Selection Sunday with a chance at an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament due to its No. 14 RPI ranking. But Maryland was not selected.

“My takeaway, and a lot of people's takeaway, was that the strength of your schedule was devalued this year,” Tillman said. “So is that something that we should adjust to? I don't know if we will or we won't.”

With key contributors like attacker Leo Johnson and Spanos set to graduate, the Terps must find production from new players.

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