When Maryland sophomore Austin Henningsen started the NCAA men’s lacrosse semifinals 2-for-2 at the faceoff against Denver, he had already fared better than the Pioneers’ previous opponent, Notre Dame.
That’s how dominant Denver’s Trevor Baptiste is.
“Psychologically I think that was really helpful for us, because everybody kept talking about how good he is, and he is all that,” Maryland head coach John Tillman said following the Terps’ 9-8 nail biting victory.
The faceoff unit finished 10-for-21 against Denver, between the efforts of Henningsen and senior Jon Garino Jr. This is a stark contrast to last week’s quarterfinals matchup between Notre Dame and Denver, where the Fighting Irish won just one draw against Baptiste, a player so dominant at the position he’s nicknamed “The Beast.