We know history will be made when Maryland and Virginia square off in the championship game of the 2011 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Tournament on Memorial Day Monday at 3:30 p.m. The winner will be the lowest seed ever to take down an NCAA title, with the Terps being unseeded and the Cavaliers entering as the No. 7 seed. No team lower than the No. 5 seed has ever won the title.
Otherwise, this is a final between two traditional rivals that nobody expected to be here. The Cavaliers have not made it to the NCAA title game since 2006, while Maryland is here for the first time since 1998. Both teams weren't always perfect this season. But now, here they are, having overcome adversity along the way.
The Terps are here because of their stingy defense, which has carried them to shocking wins over top-seeded Syracuse and defending champion Duke. Virginia, meanwhile, is here just one year after George Huguely was convicted of murdering Yeardley Love in an incident that shook up the lacrosse world. This season, Virginia lost four of five before righting the ship with dominating NCAA Tournament wins over No. 2 seed Cornell and No. 6 seed Denver.
The Cavaliers have owned the Terps over the past couple of years, winning nine of the last 11 meetings. If it happens again, they will be the champion for the first time since 2006. If Maryland can pull one more upset, it will complete arguably the most remarkable run in NCAA Lacrosse history.
For more on this game, check out Testudo Times, Streaking the Lawn and College Crosse.