WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 23, 2008) Youth was served in the University of Marylands men's lacrosse season opener, as four Terrapin freshmen combined for nine goals in No. 7 Maryland's 11-6 victory over fourth-ranked Georgetown at the Hoyas Multi-Sport Field Saturday afternoon.

Grant Catalino, who scored a game-high four goals, got the ball rolling for the Terps with an unassisted goal at the 9:35 mark. The freshman from Webster, N.Y., picked up a groundball off of a shot by fellow Terp freshman Travis Reed that hit the right post. Catalino scooped up the ball and quickly put the ball past Hoya goalie Miles Kass for a 1-0 Terrapin lead.

Georgetown and Maryland traded rapid-fire goals over the next two minutes of play. Andrew Brancaccio scored to tie the game at 8:50. Senior co-captain Will Dalton used the NCAAs new face-off rule to give the Terps a 2-1 lead on the ensuing face-off. Georgetowns Brian Taubb was whistled for moving early on the draw, giving Maryland a fast-break opportunity. Dalton took full advantage by racing down the middle of the field and burying a shot from 10 yards out. Brendan Cannon scored his only goal of the game off of a rebound off the post to knot the score at 2-2.

But that's as close as the Hoyas would get to taking a lead in the game as Maryland ripped off the next five goals. Freshman Ryan Young scored the first goal of his career, beating All-America defender Jerry Lambe around the back of the net before finishing with a nifty one-handed wrap-around goal into the top left corner of the goal. Catalino scored his second of the game, converting on a man-up opportunity off an assist from Dan Groot.

Maryland closed out the first quarter with a 5-2 lead thanks to a high-bounce goal by redshirt junior Jeff Reynolds with just 15 seconds left on the clock. The quarter break did little to stifle the Maryland momentum, as the Terps tacked on another score by another freshman just 15 seconds into the period. Sophomore long pole controlled the ball off of the opening face-off and fed perfect pass to Travis Reed on the right wing, where he laced a shot into the Hoyas' goal.

The freshman train kept rolling for the Terps with midfielder Tony Mendes, who connected on his first career score at the 9:56 mark of the second quarter. The Chapel Hill, N.C., native got some separation with a great split dodge to the middle of the field and fired the ball into the top right corner of the goal.

After the Hoyas scored to make the game 7-3, Catalino scored his third of the game off an assist from junior midfielder Jeremy Sieverts to lift Maryland's lead back to five. Georgetown would convert on a man-up opportunity for the halfs final score to cut its deficit to four at the half.

But Maryland came out of the intermission and scored off of the ensuing face-off. Georgetown won the draw, but Maryland forced a turnover near midfield. Yound scooped up the loose ball and hit a 40-yard shot for his second goal of the game. Kass had come out away from the net as the Hoyas attempted to clear the ball into the Maryland zone, leaving an empty net for Young.

Young picked up his first collegiate assist on Marylands next goal, feeding Reed on the right wing from behind the goal. Reed then hit a quick low shot to give Maryland a 10-4 lead.

Georgetown's Jake Samperton scored at the 6:15 mark of the third period, but Catalino, off another assist by Sieverts, rolled around and over a pair of Hoya defenders for his fourth goal of the game.

The fourth quarter saw only one goal, a man-up score by Georgetown's Craig Dowd off an assist by Cannon at the 6:45 mark. The Terps used a controlled, patient offense to run out the clock and take home the victory.

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2008-02-23