Maryland bests Johns Hopkins, claims Big Ten crown

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Senior Matt Rambo tallied seven points to become Maryland's all-time points leader and the No. 5 Maryland men's lacrosse won its third consecutive Big Ten regular season championship with a resounding 12-5 victory over No. 8 Johns Hopkins in the 115th installment of “The Rivalry.”

Rambo needed six points to break Bob Boneillo's 37-year old points record (231) and achieved the feat in improbable fashion less than 18 minutes into the game.

A boisterous crowd of 14,353 witnessed the championship and Rambo's record – the largest crowd for a Maryland regular season game since 1989.

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The Maryland offense was on fire early, jumping out to a massive 6-0 advantage in the first quarter. Connor Kelly recorded an early hat-trick while Rambo had three first quarter assists and a goal. Colin Heacock and Adam DiMillo also added goals to build one of the Terrapins' best quarters of the season.

Maryland would stretch its lead to 8-0 early in the second quarter with another goal from Kelly and Rambo's record-setting goal, his 232nd point. After a Tim Rotanz goal off a Heacock feed at the halftime buzzer, the Terps took a demanding 9-1 lead into the locker room.

Heacock, who had one of three Maryland hat-tricks in the game, and Rambo put forth Maryland's three goals in the second half as the Terrapins would cruise to the finish line and notch a 12-5 victory over the rival Blue Jays.

Junior Dan Morris had nine saves in goal, including five in the first half to help Maryland build its commanding lead. 

Saturday's win marked Maryland's third in a row against Johns Hopkins, the Terrapins longest streak in “The Rivalry” since 1964.

In clinching the Big Ten regular season championship, Maryland (10-3, 4-1) has earned the 1-seed in this coming weekend's Big Ten Tournament in Columbus, Ohio. The Terps will face Penn State on Thursday, May 4, while the other semifinal will matchup the 2-seed Ohio State and the 3-seed Johns Hopkins.