Awww, don't worry Alexcia...you're still hot.

Looks like UNC pulled the upset on the lady Terps to end the theretofore perfect season. The Terps apparently fought hard but were frustrated by the Heels. It came as a surprise to at least some people, as the lead of Inside Lacrosse’s game summary notes that the Terps will meet Northwestern in the c-ship. Were that it were so, but there will be no dream final for women’s lacrosse fans this year.

This also brings the on-field action of the Terps’ 2008-2009 athletic year to a close. Think of something you once saw in an NCAA commercial about the great contributions and constitutions of the student-athlete, and repeat that something to yourself right now. If you are so inclined. Goterps.

(Photo credit:  Baltimore Sun photo by Gene Sweeney Jr. / May 22, 2009)

Baseball’s done, golf is done, the major sports are long done. Soon enough, all the Terps bloggers and reporters will turn to that most popular of offseason sports…endless speculation on where some flighty (but long…very long) teenager will attend college. It’s like the opposite of the hot stove league — cold fridge league, maybe? I don’t want to name any names, but let’s hope for sanity’s sake that the interminable melodramas of some of these commitment-phobes — let’s just refer to them collectively as Shmance Shmevenson — come to an end sooner rather than later. Then we can all go back to covering those heated field hockey training camp position battles.

But not so fast, my friend! Before that all happens, we’ve still got some bidness to handle on the field. Some serious bidness. We’ve got another title in play, baby. The Terp women’s lacrosse team rallied last week against Syracuse to avenge the men’s loss. And tonight, they face the familiar faces of North Carolina, a team the Terps beat 13-8 in the regular season. Ten of 12 Inside Lacrosse staffers picked the Terps to win, so that’s gotta mean something. Check out their slightly scrambled but still very insightful preview here.

The tournament has pretty much gone according to plan. Northwestern, the four-time (good god) defending champion, and the Terps, who with nine titles are the nation’s winningest program overall (that’s right bitches), are still on a collision course. Both teams are undefeated. If the Terps can get past the Heels, and the Wildcats beat Penn, we could have one for the ages.

Friday’s games and Sunday’s championship game will be broadcast on CBS College Sports. Whatever that is, I don’t think I have it. Maybe I’ll listen on WMUC. Sure, you can’t get reception outside of South Campus Dining Hall, but whatever. That won’t be weird. I’ll eat chicken tenders.

Oh, and happy Memorial Day!

It’s on, baby. It is so freaking on.  May 10 is D-Day, or as “normal” people call it, the first day of postseaon play, for both the Maryland men’s and women’s lacrosse teams, although they face different expectations going in.

The 19-0 women earned the second seed in the 16-team tournament, behind only Northwestern, who are going for their fifth straight (good God!) NCAA title. If both teams reach the final, they’d face each other on May 24. The Terps also have some favorable crowd conditions–they get the first rounds in the CP, and the Final Four and c-ship games are a quick bus trip up 95 at Towson University. Potentially standing in the Terps’ way: North Carolina, Syracuse, and Notre Dame. The Terps first-round opponent: Colgate. Yes. Just like the toothpaste. So that’s kinda nifty.

On the other hand, the far more bubbly men’s team had to rely on an at-large bid to back into the tourney after finishing 9-6. The men’s lax team was a lot like this year’s basketball team…kind of an up-and-down season, underacheivement followed by overacheivement, but in the end, just enough “signature wins” (Duke and Carolina…sound familiar?) to justify their inclusion. They get Notre Dame in the first round, a game The Diamondback says could be pretty competitive despite Notre Dame’s much higher ranking. Reason being is that the Irish, who went undefeated, kind of had a slightly mushy schedule this year. Check out this murderer’s row that comprised the team’s last five opponents: Denver, St. John’s, Ohio State, and, of course, the mighty Quinnipiac – twice. Combined record: 24-30. You don’t have to be a lacrossestician to see that’s not very good.

So we shall see when they cross sticks….between the white lines! Go Terps.