TWICE AS NICE: Terps rally to win ACC title in OT

By Brian Kapur

With 15 minutes to go in the ACC championship game the University of Virginia Cavaliers led 2-0, dominating play, had momentum in their favor and were in the driver seat to upset the Terps.

The Terps needed a play, a goal, a shot of energy- anything.

Enter ACC tournament MVP Katie O'Donnell

O'Donnell took the game into her hands- much like Michael Jordan did for the Chicago Bulls when they were winning NBA championships in the 1990s- and made the play that would turn the momentum and game in the Terps favor.

O'Donnell took the ball inside Virginia's 25 yard line and drove towards the right post. Then the eventual MVP wound up and cranked the ball into the goal from a low percentage angle to cut the UVA lead to 2-1 and bring the Terps new life.

“We’re the biggest group of fighters you might ever see,” O’Donnell said. “We’re not ranked No. 1 because we won last year. We’re No. 1 because we’ll put everything we have on the field, and we’re going to do everything we absolutely have to do to come out with a win.”

Under two minutes later, the Terps all-time leading goal scorer Nicole Muracco tied the game at two off a pass from Alexis Pappas.

At the end of regulation, with under a minute to play, both teams had a penalty corner chance. The Terps were unable to capitalize with 40 seconds to go. The Cavaliers had a penalty corner opporunity with no time left on the clock. The Terps needed one more defensive stand to send the game to overtime.

The Terps defense rose to the occasion. Senior goal keeper Alicia Grater made a fantastic save to send the game to overtime.

“I don’t think I’ve ever felt the energy just from five girls coming out of the cage,” back Emma Thomas said. “Nothing was going in the net that time.”

The Terps needed less than two minutes to get a penalty corner opportunity. With a chance to end the game, Emma Thomas took a shot, and Meghan Frazer hit a defelection in to give the Terps back-to-back ACC championships.