NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The No. 14 Yale University men’s lacrosse team broke open a back and forth battle with four goals in the fourth quarter to defeat No. 7 Maryland 10-6.
Conrad Oberbeck (Greenwich, Conn.) led the Bulldogs with three goals and two assists as Yale defeated Maryland for the first time since 1925. Ben Reeves (Macedon, N.Y.) and Jeff Cimbalista (New Hope, Pa.) had two goals, while Michael Keasey (Newport Beach, Calif.) recorded three points for the victors.
The visitors got on the board first when Jay Carlson (Cockeysville, Md.) scored on the Terps’ first shot of the game 2:08 into the contest.
Maryland added to its lead when Matt Rambo (Glenside, Pa.) bounced a shot through the five-hole of Eric Natale (Westminster, Md.) at the 3:04 mark.
With 8:33 remaining in the first quarter, Oberbeck scored the Bulldogs’ first goal, assisted by Colin Flaherty (Eastport, N.Y.). It was the 26th-straight game with a goal by the senior. Less than a minute later, Oberbeck tied the game with a man-up strike off a Keasey pass.
The Elis took a 3-2 lead when Reeves beat Terps’ goalie Kyle Bernlohr (Akron, Ohio) at the 15:25 mark of the first quarter. Maryland-native Michael Bonacci (Crofton, Md.) had the helper.
The hosts added to their advantage on a wrap around rocket that hugged the inside post by Cimbalista.
After the four-straight tallies by the Elis, Yale led 4-2 after the opening quarter.
Maryland scored the only two goals of the second quarter, sending the teams to the locker room tied at four. The Terps got their first goal of the second period when a bouncer by Henry West (Darien, Conn.) found the back of the cage with a man-up midway through the frame.
The Terrapins tied the game at 4 with 2:51 left in the first half when Dylan Maltz (Ashburn, Va.) converted a Colin Heacock (Catonsville, Md.) pass.
The halftime stat sheet was very even between the two nationally-ranked programs. Both teams had 15 shots, eight groundballs and won 50% of the first-half faceoffs. The squads each scored with an extra-man and went five-of-six on clear attempts.
Yale got on the scoreboard first in the second half when Eric Scott (Basking Ridge, N.J.) scored 1:55 into the third quarter. Keasey had his second assist of the game on the Elis’ fifth goal.
West scored his second goal of the game with 7:11 left in the third quarter to tie the score.
Oberbeck completed the hat trick with 1:58 left in the third quarter. The senior was able to get a step on Maryland defenders Casey Ikeda (Berwyn, Pa.) and Matt Dunn (Towson, Md.) and get his shot off for the goal.
With four seconds left in the quarter, Maryland tied the score at 6. Maltz found the back of the net for the second time on the afternoon, assisted by Rambo.
The back and forth affair entered the final quarter even on the scoreboard and in the shots column (26).
Yale opened the fourth quarter scoring when Flaherty converted an Oberbeck dish 2:46 into the quarter.
Keasey added a potential insurance goal with 5:56 remaining. Bonacci got his second helper of the game on the junior midfielder’s fourth goal of the year.
Reeves made the home fans in the crowd of 1,322 breathe a bit easier with 2:29 left in the game. The freshman took advantage of the Terrapins’ over pursuit and scored his second of the game, unassisted.
Cimbalista scored into a vacant net with just over a minute left for the final tally, cementing the first-ever February loss for the Terps under Head Coach John Tillman.
A key going into the non-conference game was winning the faceoff against the Terps’ All-American Charlie Raffa (Syosset, N.Y.). Both Conor Mackie (Glen Rock, N.J.) and Jonathan Reese (West Islip, N.Y.) did their part in the X, winning 72% (13-for-18) of the draws against Raffa, Jon Garino, Jr. (Newton Square, Pa.) and Will Bonaparte (Ridgefield, Conn.).
The Bulldogs (2-0, 0-0 Ivy League) play next on Feb. 28 versus Bryant at home.
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