​The Whipsnakes faced a period of self-reflection after their defeat to the Denver Outlaws two weeks earlier. Maryland’s offense had fallen short, and their second-half execution allowed a second consecutive loss. Standing at 3-3 midway through the season, head coach Jim Stagnitta saw the team at a critical juncture. Another loss could have sparked a mid-season slide; instead, the Whipsnakes answered with a convincing 17-10 win over the Carolina Chaos on Saturday night in Chicago. Production came from across the lineup, with T.J. Malone pacing the attack with a season-high six points, while Joey Spallina and Aidan Carroll each contributed four. Seven Whipsnakes finished with multiple points, and Maryland never trailed, jumping out to an early 4-0 lead and maintaining at least a three-goal cushion for the remainder of the game.
“We can always learn and get better, but it was just a great team effort and a much-needed win, so I think we’re all pretty happy and excited about it,” Stagnitta said after the game, adding that it should offer the players a glimpse of what they’re capable of accomplishing.
Throughout the season, the Whipsnakes have shown their best form when the ball moves quickly. That was evident in the first half on Saturday, as the Chaos couldn’t keep pace. Maryland appeared poised to score on nearly every possession, punishing Chaos goalie Blaze Riorden with accurate shooting and converting 40.7 percent of their attempts. The offense opened with Matt Brandau (1G) and Carroll scoring, before Rob Pannell (1G, 2A) set up Richie Connell for his first career goal and then fed Adam Poitras, who also found the net. Pannell finished with three points, narrowing the gap to within three of Paul Rabil’s all-time professional lacrosse points record.
Meanwhile, Carolina struggled to generate offense. The Whipsnakes allowed back-to-back goals only once in the first half, followed by a 5-1 Maryland run that extended the lead to 11-4 at the break. “A big emphasis was just attacking right and going after them early and often,” Spallina said. “I think we did a good job of that tonight. I thought our shooting was a lot better. We had a lot of shots on goal, and obviously we scored a lot. But at the end of the day, it’s about having fun and doing what we love to do.”
Stagnitta explained that the coaching staff aimed to energize the attack this week by routing the ball through X more and reversing fields, as well as dodging down the alleys rather than sticking to a pure east-west game. The adjustments paid immediate dividends, with Spallina, Pannell, and Malone combining for 13 points.
That said, last month on Long Island put the team in a similar frame of mind. The Whipsnakes led 10-3 against the New York Atlas but did not close out the game in the same fashion, leaving room for concern about consistency and finish as they navigate the season’s midpoint.