The No. 1 Fighting Irish men's lacrosse team clinched their second consecutive NCAA national title on Monday, overpowering No. 7 Maryland with a resounding 15-5 victory at Lincoln Financial Field. This remarkable win solidifies Notre Dame's status as the first team in a decade to achieve back-to-back men's lacrosse NCAA national championships in consecutive seasons and the ninth team in history to accomplish this feat.

Under the guidance of Baumer Family Head Men's Lacrosse Coach Kevin Corrigan, Notre Dame has now secured their second championship in program history. The Irish displayed a dominant defensive performance, matching a program record by conceding only five goals in an NCAA Tournament game. Additionally, their ten-goal margin ranks as the second-largest in Notre Dame's postseason history.

After a slow start that saw Maryland score the first two goals of the game, the Fighting Irish rallied and closed out the first quarter by netting five of the last six goals to take a 5-3 lead. Notably, Notre Dame's scoring efforts were evenly distributed among five different players - Will Angrick, Jake Taylor, Max Busenkell, Jalen Seymour, and Eric Dobson. Pat Kavanagh contributed significantly as the distributor, assisting on two of these goals.

Maintaining their momentum in the second quarter, the Irish notched the first five goals, increasing their lead to 10-3 before Maryland managed to secure one through an extra-man opportunity, bringing the halftime score to 10-4. Chris Kavanagh led an impressive midfield offensive display by scoring three consecutive goals in a span of six minutes. Reilly Gray and Devon McLane also contributed goals from the midfield position, resulting in a total of six first-half goals.

The Notre Dame team continued their relentless assault in the second half, adding four more goals to their tally and extending their lead to 14-4. Jordan Faison initiated the scoring in the third quarter with a beautiful behind-the-back goal, followed by two additional goals from Chris Kavanagh and one from Fisher Finley. Maryland managed to pull back one goal right before the end of the quarter, reducing the Irish lead to 14-5 with 15 minutes remaining in the game. Jake Taylor sealed the victory for Notre Dame by scoring the final goal, resulting in a decisive 15-5 win over Maryland.

Liam Entenmann's outstanding performance as goalkeeper cannot be overlooked, as he recorded 16 saves, marking his 11th double-digit save count of the season. With this national title, the University of Notre Dame now boasts an impressive total of 35 team national championships in athletics, with men's lacrosse becoming the fifth program to win multiple titles.

Notre Dame will advance to the NCAA Championship title game for the fourth time in program history, making a repeat appearance from last year. This season has been remarkable for the Irish, with their 16 victories and a remarkable .941 winning percentage, both of which stand as the best marks in program history for a single season. Their overall record now stands at 29-25 in NCAA Championships history, including an impressive 24-11 record over the last 13 tournament appearances.

The victory against Maryland also resulted in a significant milestone, leveling the all-time series between the Fighting Irish and the Terrapins at 9-9, with Notre Dame emerging victorious in the last three matchups. Additionally, with this win, Notre Dame maintains a perfect record of 10-0 against top-10 ranked teams in 2024, showcasing their dominance on the lacrosse field this season. Furthermore, the Irish remain undefeated, with a flawless 10-0 record in away games played outside of South Bend.

The Fighting Irish have now won an impressive 36 of their last 39 games, with a remarkable 24 of those victories coming against ranked opponents. Notably, 24 of their wins have been by a margin of five goals or more, solidifying their position as a consistently strong and formidable team. As the 2024 campaign draws to a close, Notre Dame sets multiple records in terms of offensive prowess, including most goals in a season (266), assists in a season (160), and points in a season (426). Throughout the season, the Notre Dame attack consistently achieved double-figure goals in every game. Moreover, both Chris Kavanagh and Pat Kavanagh shattered the previous single-season record for points, with Chris accumulating 81 points and Pat amassing 80 points, surpassing his own previous record of 77 points set in 2023.

With their sensational back-to-back NCAA national championship victories, the Notre Dame men's lacrosse team has etched their name in history as one of the most dominant forces in the sport. Coach Kevin Corrigan and his players have undoubtedly cemented their legacy within the lacrosse world, and Notre Dame's future looks incredibly promising as they continue to soar to new heights.