No. 5 men’s lacrosse (1–0 overall, 0–0 Ivy League) will face a major early-season test when they host No. 2 Maryland (3–0, 0–0 Big Ten) this Saturday at 12 p.m. on Sherrerd Field. The Tigers, coming off a dramatic 11–10 overtime win against No. 10 Penn State in their season opener, will look to keep their momentum rolling as they continue a grueling pre-Ivy League schedule.
Princeton has not backed down from top-tier competition to start 2025, and Maryland represents another step up. The Terrapins enter the matchup with wins over No. 13 Richmond and No. 6 Syracuse, boasting one of the most disciplined defenses in the nation. The Tigers will need an all-around effort from the entire team to pull off the upset.
Princeton 10, Maryland 8 – Harrison Blank, Head Sports Editor
After losing to Maryland two years in a row, the Tigers finally break through and take down the Terrapins. They pull out a win in a defensive battle, 10–8.
Princeton’s defense will be anchored by junior goalie Ryan Croddick, last week’s Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week. Croddick had 22 saves in his first career start last week in the overtime win over Penn State. Expect him to have 17 saves, including six in the fourth quarter.
Senior midfielder Sean Cameron will lead the Tiger offense with three goals on the day and an assist. The Tigers will jump out to an early first-half lead behind him and hold on for the win.
Princeton showed tremendous heart winning on the road last week, and they’ll continue the momentum in a top-two win this week. Come Tuesday, the Tigers will be ranked top-three in the nation.
Princeton 14, Maryland 12 – Doug Schwartz, Associate Sports Editor
Coming off a thrilling overtime victory over Penn State last week, No. 5 Princeton looks to keep the ball rolling against No. 2 University of Maryland. The matchup will be challenging for the Tigers as the Terps are 36–12–1 against Princeton all-time, and are currently on an eight-game win streak against the Orange and Black. In last year’s NCAA tournament, it was UMD who sent Princeton packing in the first round with a 16–8 victory.
However, in his first career start, Croddick amassed a ridiculous 22 saves, the most in NCAA men’s lacrosse this season. There is no doubt that the fiery Princeton offense, led by senior attacker Coulter Mackesy, will produce, so if Croddick and company can repeat their dominant performance against a strong Maryland attack, look to the Tigers to upset the Terps and end the eight-game losing streak.
Princeton 12, Maryland 10 – Lily Pampolina, Associate Sports Editor
In this highly anticipated top-five matchup, Princeton will aim to snap their eight-game losing streak against the Terrapins. To do so, it will take more motivation than ever before.
After an overtime win against No. 10 Penn State, the Tigers should have both the confidence and the momentum to take on another quality Big Ten opponent, though they will first have to tie up some loose ends. Clearing the ball effectively will be crucial for the Tigers, as the disciplined Maryland defense can and will capitalize on loose balls in the middle of the field. The Tigers must also prioritize off-ball movement, giving attackers like Mackesy opportunities to get shots off.
Mackesy, who had five goals against the Nittany Lions last week, has climbed Princeton’s all-time leaderboards and solidified himself as a threat to the Terrapins, scoring in each of the four previous matchups against Maryland. Though Mackesy is known for being able to make plays under pressure, in order to score against an opponent that has limited the Tigers to 10 goals or less since 2006, Princeton will have to employ its other offensive weapons this Saturday.
Sophomore midfielders Jackson Green and Carson Krammer will need to build off last weekend, getting in on Princeton’s scoring and overall offensive effort. The Tiger defense must be ready to defend in transition and prevent the Terrapin offense from capitalizing on easy looks and fast breaks.
Princeton is well-equipped to take on Maryland and arguably has its best shot to beat them in years. A mix of targeted preparation and game-time execution might be enough to finally push the Tigers past the Terrapins.
Harrison Blank is a head Sports editor for the ‘Prince.’
Doug Schwartz is an associate Sports editor for the ‘Prince.’
Lily Pampolina is an associate Sports editor for the ‘Prince.’
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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