Ah, Selection Monday. The tradition. The suspense. The overwhelming Monday-ness of it all. 

It just doesn’t have the same ring as the big event that precedes it.   Why follow the men?  Why not have Selection Saturday?  Why does anyone make me do anything on a Monday? 

As airtight as these arguments are, Selection Monday is a cold reality, and the Maryland women’s basketball team will have to wait until then–a full 11 days after their final game–to find out whether they are going dancing. Early returns, however, are not encouraging.

After defeating North Carolina in the first round of the ACC tournament, the ladies lost a tough one to top-seeded Duke, 66-64, to finish (for now) at 19-12 overall and 6-10 in the conference. That Duke win probably would have gotten them in, but as it is, NCAA Women’s Bracketologist Charlie “I Hate Joe Lunardi” Creme has the Lady Terps in his first four out. Not good. Especially since all the women’s conference tourneys are over. Any upsets that would have shaken up the bubble have happened by now, and it’s clear it didn’t break in a good way for Maryland. (Big tourney runs from Iowa, Rutgers, and Vermont, for example, were probably detrimental for the Terps.) So unless the selection committee disagrees with the bracketologist — and really, who’s ever heard of such a thing? — the Lady Terps may be out of luck and out of chances. For dances.

But fear not, for all is not lost. As you might expect, the future looks bright for Brenda Frese’s young crew. Sophomore Lynetta Kizer made All-ACC third team, while Diandra Tchatchouang (free fake prize for anyone who can provide a prounciation key) made the all-freshman team. Congrats to them, and to all the Lady Terps. Even if they don’t go dancing, they made the most of a season that could have been a lot worse.

Now wait one second...these aren't basketball players!

Hey, just kidding with the headline there. Kidding!  But you have to admit, with so much excitement surrounding the men, and the women’s team experiencing something of a temporary vacuum following the departure of the last members of their most popular and successful team ever, it is reasonable to expect that interest might flicker just a bit. Flicker like the flame of a wee, delicate candle. During a blizzard. At the bottom of the Irish Sea.

Ahhh, the Irish. They have the prescription for the daily blues.  Many a maiden fair they be havin’. Many a stout pint of…well, stout.  Lush, rolling hills. And the peat! Ahhhhhhh, the peat.

Huh? What? Whoa, sorry. Slipped off there. I guess I’ll save the peat discussion for my other blog, which you can find at http://ahhhhthepeat.blogspot.com. Update your bookmarks! But for now, it’s time to talk Lady Terps.

I do like to kid (even if I don’t always like to eat kids), but at 18-9, the ladies could be a lot worse off, even if their tourney hopes are balancing on the edge of a knife blade. As of now, the bracketologists have them at a ninth seed.  Not bad considering their best returning player — Dee Liles — was kicked off the team and out of school for academic issues. That left an 11-woman roster with nine freshmen or sophomores, led by Lynetta Kizer, who is averaging 12 points and 8 rebounds in her second season. They were reminded of their lack of experience when they were beaten decisively be a decidedly experienced Duke team two days ago.

Still, they’re seventh in the ACC right now, and will probably make the tourney if they beat Boston College in Boston this Thursday and no. 10 Florida State in the CP this Sunday. But there’s no margin for error, as those are kind of the last two games of the season. Why can’t any Maryland team ever just be really really good and boring? I guess that would make them Duke. So never mind. But barring a win-out, the lady Terps will need a good run in the ACC tourney if they want to go dancing in March. Best of luck…the Irish will be with ye.

(UPDATE: The Lady Terps lost at Boston College. They’ll now need to make a deep run in the ACC tourney if they want to go dancing.)

According to The Diamondback, the Lady Terps face a must-win game tonight at Wake Forest. If they can’t get the job done in Winston-Salem, where the Deacs are 4-0 in ACC play, it would be their third consecutive loss, and would mean the team would need to win out in the regular season to get to 20 wins and .500 in the conference (and, by extension, stand a decent chance to make the tourney).

Good luck to Lynetta Kizer, Tianna Hawkins, and the rest of the ladies tonight. Go Terps.

Great article in the Post today about how Maryland’s dominant field hockey team is fairly anonymous on not only the local sports landscape, but their own damn campus. I’m not sure what the exact problem is, but it could have something to do with the fact that it’s field hockey.

Seriously, though, the team is incredible. It’s not that they can’t lose. It’s just that they don’t. Katie O’Donnell is the sport’s top player and Missy Meharg is the top coach. She’s the Sasho Cirovski of underappreciated Maryland women’s sports program coaches.

Let me just take this opportunity to point out the voluminous field hockey coverage here at Shell Games. Why do we do it? Because we like girls care. It’s because we care.

Your 16-0, top-ranked, defending national champion Terps field hockey team closes out the regular season tomorrow with a big showdown at 15-0, #2 North Carolina.

One of these days, I gotta make it to a game.

(Photo credit: D.C. Sports Box)

Muracco has been a scoring machine so far this year. And she's purdy.

Right now, as I’m writing this blog post, the #1 ranked Maryland Terrapins are hosting the #3 Wake Forest Demon Deacons in a clash between two field hockey titans.  The last time these two teams faced each other was for the 2008 ACC Championship as part of Maryland’s Award Tour.  The Terps are so dominant that they’ve been awarded every ACC player of the week awardso far in the first three weeks of 2009.  Maryland is 9-0 coming into this game, with three shutouts.  Their play has been dominating thus far, and the team is averaging a five goal margin of victory and outshooting their opponents 172-63 through nine games.

Emma Thomas (25pts) and Katie O’Donnell (37pts) continue their dominant play from last year.  The Terps have benefitted from great play by Nicole Muracco, who leads the team with 14 goals so far this season, and Janessa Pope, who stepped up big with a goal and an assist in the victory over #9 Boston College.  That performance earned Pope ACC Player of the Week honors for last week.

As I write this post, the Terps and Deacons are tied 1-1 at the half, and Muracco has the Terps lone goal.  Reports from College Park are that she scored by charming her way past the defense.  We’ll be recapping this game and more as the season goes on.  Go Terps, beat Wake!

Katie Usher: Killin it

So the Maryland women’s volleyball team has just cranked up their season.  So far they’re 4-3.   This weekend they play in the Georgetown Classic in D.C., with Hampton as their first opponent. 

They haven’t been so great in past years. Last year they finished, uh, 6-26 under first-year head coach Tim Horsmon. I’m no volleyball expert, but is that a bad record? It’s bad? It is? Okay, sweet.

Katie Usher, doing what she does

But I’ve a good feeling about this team. Yes I do. Senior leader Katie Usher is a big part of that. She’s doing it right so far this year. Also, don’t forget sophomore phenom Lisa Scott and freshman standout Kara Bates. They have an alluring coaching staff, including associate head coach Tami Ores.

Hi, Tami

They also seem to be on the forefront of this social media trend we hear so much about.  For example, they have a Facebook page. Last year they had a Volleyblog, which I actually really liked, but that doesn’t seem to be there anymore.

Madi Lee: Crushing

So here’s hoping they can get it done this year. They seem like a great group. Spectacular, even. Lots to be said for just doin it for the love. This group — toiling in the trenches of the ACC, working up a sweat — is the essence of that. Goterps.

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)

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.

A few quick observations:

• Freshman phenom goalie Brittany Dipper has a porn star name.  Just calling it as I see it.  Miss Dipper, you’ll always be welcome in “the industry,” as we like to call it here in the industry.
• What’s up with all these Maryland towns named after larger, more famous places? ACC MVP Caitlyn McFadden hails from Phoenix, Md. Amanda Spinnenweber, who does NOT have a porn star name, is from Pasadena, Md.  Grace “I can’t believe I’m not Asian” Gaeng is from Bel Air, Md. There is also a California, Md. and a Hollywood, Md.  I’m telling you right now – there is no Maryland, California.
• Lady Terps Brittany and Brandi Jones are sisters.  But more interestingly, both bear a strong resemblance to actress Rashida Jones, who is perhaps best known for playing Jim’s other girlfriend on The Office a while back or the fiance in “I Love You, Man,” which was a really good movie by the way.   Same last name…all from California…

Judge for yourself:

Brandi

Brittany

Rashida

See? Freakin uncanny right?  Now this is the kind of hard-hitting news I like to provide. You are so welcome. Goterps.