EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — Matt Moore and Connor Shellenberger scored four goals apiece and goalie Alex Rode made a huge save in the final seconds, and Virginia held off previously unbeaten Maryland 17-16 Monday to win its second straight NCAA men’s lacrosse championship.
The Cavaliers (14-4) won their seventh national championship and ended a 17-game winning streak by Maryland (15-1) dating to last season.
The combined 33 goals marked the highest-scoring championship game since Maryland beat Navy 20-13 in 1975.
The Terrapins, playing in their sixth final in 11 years, rallied after trailing by five goals in the middle of the fourth quarter.
Maryland scored four times in a 4-minute, 16-second span to cut it to 16-15. Logan Wisnauskas went top shelf for his fifth goal of the game, Daniel Maltz scored with the Terps a man up and Bubba Fairman and Anthony DeMaio followed with goals.
Moore made it a two-goal game with 3:35 left, but DeMaio scored with 10.8 seconds left to pull the Terps within 17-16.
Luke Wierman won the ensuing faceoff, picked up a ground ball and shot from 7 yards, but Rode was able to make the save and the Cavaliers ran out the clock.
WHAT A FINISH!@UVAMensLax holds off Maryland in dramatic fashion to win its second straight men's lacrosse national title! ?? pic.twitter.com/dreigRoMip
— ESPN (@espn) May 31, 2021
Shellenberger and Moore also had two assists apiece, and Jeff Conner had three goals on four shots for the Cavaliers.
National scoring leader Jared Bernhardt had two goals for Maryland but none in the second half.
