Undefeated Maryland, led by coach Bud Beardmore and Hall of Fame midfielder Frank Urso, defeated Johns Hopkins in the championship game, 10–9 after two overtimes, with Urso scoring the winning goal one minute and 18 seconds into the second overtime.
The top eight teams in the season-ending lacrosse coaches poll were selected to play in the 1973 tournament.
Johns Hopkins defeated Virginia 12-9 and Maryland beat Washington and Lee 18–5 to reach the national championship game. The win represented Maryland's eighth overall men's lacrosse National Title, but first under the newly instituted NCAA lacrosse tournament format. Bud Beardmore was named USILA Coach of the Year.
Prior to the Hopkins overtime win, the Terrapins closest game was a five-goal victory against UMBC. Maryland had beaten Hopkins 17 to 4 in the regular season about a month prior to the finals. In the Terps' ten games, they averaged 17 goals per game and held opponents to 6 goals per game.
Johns Hopkins used a possession game to counter the Terrapins' top rated offense, which resulted in over fifteen minutes of limited-shooting possessions by the Blue Jays in the first half. Maryland countered with patient and mistake-free defensive play to offset the stall tactic though Frank Urso was able to get free to score three goals. Hopkins held the ball for the first 10:45 of the game with the first shot of the game not being taken until over eight minutes had passed. Hopkins' tactics worked initially as the Blue Jays took a 5–2 lead at halftime.
Maryland overcame Johns Hopkins' possession game in the second half, outscoring the Jays 8–4 in the second half. However, the Jays still had a 9-7 lead with just under 5 minutes to play in the game. The winning goal came in the second overtime for the 10–9 victory. Urso scored the goal taking a solo run and converting a 15-yard bounce shot. Since this was not a sudden-death overtime period, Maryland held for the final three minutes to win the contest.
The Terps had encountered little resistance on their way to the title as they downed Brown 16-4 and Washington and Lee 18–7 in the first two rounds. Johns Hopkins had disposed of Army 11-5 and the defending national champion Virginia 12–9.
Washington and Lee goalie Skeet Chadwick had 55 saves in two tournament games. Washington and Lee, a recent addition to the top tier of teams, beat Navy in a three overtime marathon 13–12 in the first round. The two teams each scored two goals in the non-sudden death first overtime period with Washington and Lee scoring the winning goal 16 seconds into the 3rd sudden-death overtime period. Washington and Lee was undefeated coming into the semifinals, with regular season wins over North Carolina, Towson and Princeton.
Jack Thomas of Johns Hopkins had 11 tournament assists and was the tournament leading scorer.
Maryland was the first Undefeated Division I national champion, and also the last, accomplishing this as well in 2022.[2][3][4]
Saves: Maryland Bill O'Donnell 10 - Glatzell 1, Johns Hopkins Les Mathews 15
Attendance: 7,117
Semifinals
Team
1
2
3
4
Total
Maryland
5
5
2
6
18
Washington and Lee (14–1)
3
3
1
0
7
Maryland scoring – Ed Mullen 3, Pat O’Meally 3, Frank Urso 3, Dino Mattessich 2, Doug Radebaugh 2, Doug Schreiber 2, Dave Hallock, Larry Hubbard, Roger Tuck
Washington and Lee scoring – Sam Englehart 2, Skip Lichtfuss 2, Ted Bauer, Bryan Chasney, Dave Warfield
Shots: Maryland 82, Washington and Lee 27
Saves: Maryland Bill O'Donnell 9 - Kramer 1, Washington and Lee Skeet Chadwick 27 - Hoatson 0
Location: College Park, Maryland (Byrd Stadium) - 5/26/1973
Attendance: 1,902
Team
1
2
3
4
Total
Johns Hopkins
2
3
3
4
12
Virginia
2
1
4
2
9
Johns Hopkins scoring – Rick Kowalchuk 4, Franz Wittelsberger 3, Jack Thomas, Dale Kohler, Don Krohn, Ken Winegrad, Bill Nolan
Virginia scoring – Barry Robertson 2, Doug Cooper 2, Rich Werner 2, Tom Duquette, Jim Ulman, Owen Daly
Shots: Virginia 59, Johns Hopkins 49
Saves: Johns Hopkins Les Mathews 14, Virginia Rodney Rullman 23
