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Here's look at the four teams competing in the 2003 Division 1 Men's Lacrosse Championships semifinals, which starts Saturday at Ravens Stadium in Baltimore.
No. 1 seed: Johns Hopkins Blue Jays (13-1)
Coach: Dave Pietramala (6th year overall, 56-24;
at JH, 3rd year, 33-7)
Location: Baltimore, Md.
Last NCAA appearance: 2002, lost to fourth-seed Syracuse, 11-9,
in National Semifinals
Best NCAA Tournament finish: Seven-time National Champions
(1974, 1978-80, 1984-85, 1987)
Notes: Faces Syracuse in first semifinal ... Lost at Syracuse,
15-14 on March 15 ... After that loss, currently on 10-game
win streak ... Hopkins has competed in every NCAA Tournament
(32) since 1972, having only missed the inaugural tournament
in 1971 ... Hopkins has knocked out the defending champion of
the NCAA Tournament six times in its history
(1973, 74, 78, 83, 84, 87) ... 42 goals Hopkins has allowed in
last seven games are the fewest allowed by the Blue Jays in a
seven-game span since 1967, where they allowed 36 goals in an
eight-game span ... Senior attackman Bobby Benson leads the team
in goals (36) and ranks second in points (48) ... Senior goalie
Rob Scherr has started all 14 games this season. He has a
6.96 goals against average and a .596 save percentage.
Unseeded: Syracuse Orangemen (10-5)
Coach: John Desko (fifth season, 65-16)
Location: Syracuse, N.Y.
Last NCAA appearance: 2002, defeated third-seed Princeton, 13-12,
National Championship
Best NCAA Tournament finish: Eight-time National Champions
(1983, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1995, 2000, 2002)
Notes: Faces top-ranked Johns Hopkins in first semifinal ...
The Orangemen have won four straight and five of their last eight games
against Johns Hopkins ... Defeated Johns Hopkins, 15-14, on March 15 after
trailing 8-2 in second quarter ... An unprecedented 21st straight Final
Four appearance ... The Orangemen are aiming for their fifth
straight title game appearance ... Junior attackman Michael Powell
has recorded 11 points in this year's NCAA Tournament ... Powell has
scored a goal in 42 out of 48 career games ... Senior attackman
Michael Springer leads the team with 35 goals and is second on the team
with 59 points ... When Springer scores, the Orangemen are 48-10, 27-5
when he tallied three or more goals in a game.
No. 3 seed: Maryland Terrapins (12-3)
Coach: Dave Cottle (21st season overall, 202-77;
at Maryland, 2nd season, 21-7)
Location: College Park, Md.
Last NCAA appearance: 2001, lost to sixth-seeed Towson, 12-11, Quarterfinals
Best NCAA Tournament finish: Two-time National Champions (1973, 1975)
Notes: Plays ACC rival Virginia in second semifinal ... Won five
straight ... Last time Terrapins won National Title in 1975, they
were seeded third ... Since NCAA Tournament expanded to 12 teams
in 1987, the third seed has advanced to the championship game
eight times and has won five titles ... Defeated Virginia on the road,
8-7, on March 29 ... Junior midfielder Justin Smith has 29 goals in
his last 22 games ... The Terrapins are 3-0 all-time against the
Cavaliers in the NCAA Tournament, last beating the Cavaliers in the
1997 quarterfinals ... Freshman attackman Joe Walters leads the team
with 33 goals ...Senior goalie Danny McCormick has a 6.74
goals-against average ... 11-0 when leading at halftime this season.
No. 2 seed: Virginia Cavaliers (13-2)
Coach: Dom Starsia (11th season, overall 224-87; at VA: 123-41)
Location: Charlottesville, Va.
Last NCAA appearance: 2002, lost to second-seed &
eventual National Champion, Syracuse, 13-12 (2OT),
National Semifinals
Best NCAA Tournament finish: National Champions (1999)
Notes: Faces conference-rival Maryland in second semifinal ... Defeated
Massachusetts, 13-7, to advance to Final Four ... Won eight straight ...
Sophomore attackman John Christmas leads the Cavaliers with 34 goals,
11 assists for 45 points. Christmas scored three goals in the quarterfinal
against Massachusetts ... Junior goalie Tillman Johnson has a 7.57
goals-against-average with a .616 save percentage ... The Cavaliers'
only two losses of the season are against two Final Four opponents: Maryland
and Johns Hopkins, each by a score of 8-7.
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