Two sites can’t alter importance of games
The last two years the doubleheader was played at M&T Bank Stadium and lived up to the ambitious title of the event — the Day of Rivals.
This year Army-Navy and Maryland-Johns Hopkins, two of the fiercest rivalries in college lacrosse, will have separate stages, 20 miles and six hours apart Saturday.
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For Army (7-4, 2-2 Patriot League) and Navy (4-7, 2-3), the stakes are tangible (postseason hopes in the balance) and intangible.
Navy coach Richie Meade said anything but the rivalry is a secondary concern.
“There’s nothing that can make this game any more meaningful than it already is, no Patriot League playoff spot, no NCAA ramifications,” Meade told Inside Lacrosse.com. “The game is what it is, and it exists by itself.”
| Up Next |
| Army at Navy |
| When » Saturday, 2 p.m. |
| Where » Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis |
| TV » CBS College Sports |
| Radio » 1430 AM |
| No. 3 Johns Hopkins at No. 4 Maryland |
| When » Saturday, 8 p.m. |
| Where » Byrd Stadium, College Park |
| TV » ESPNU |
Considering it has outscored opponents 104-97, Navy has had a frustrating season, losing four games by one goal. Freshmen attackmen Tucker Hull (20 goals, 14 assists) and Sam Jones (22 goals, 11 assists) are the top two scorers, promising a bright future. But a loss would be Navy’s third to Army in two years and would knock the Mids out of the Patriot League tournament for the first time since the league was formed in 2004.
Army answers with the NCAA’s ninth-best defense (7.45 goals a game), led by junior Tim Henderson (33 ground balls, 15 caused turnovers) and four-year starting goalie Tom Palesky. Sparking the offense are senior Jeremy Boltus (19 goals, 32 assists), who leads the nation in assists, and sophomore Garrett Thul (30 goals).
Later Saturday, when a veteran Maryland (8-2) squad faces young Johns Hopkins (8-2), the winner could be in line for the top seed in next month’s NCAA tournament.
While the Terps are thriving under first-year coach John Tillman and a starting lineup that includes seven juniors and seniors, the Blue Jays have rebounded from last year’s 7-8 free fall, their first losing season since 1971.
Johns Hopkins has done it with eight sophomore and freshman starters but is sparked by seniors Matt Dolente, who leads the nation in faceoff percentage (.702), and Chris Boland (19 goals, 10 assists).
Maryland leads the nation in scoring margin (5.3 goals a game) behind senior long-stick midfielder Brian Farrell and an improved midfield led by sophomore John Haus (10 goals, nine assists).
“They’ve found their identity,” Blue Jays coach Dave Petramala said. “They’ve found themselves in the middle of the field.”
