The scoring has picked up in the 2011 NCAA Lacrosse National Title game. The Virginia Cavaliers were able to get on the board and take a lead but the Maryland Terrapins continued to fight back, even briefly taking the lead back. The two teams traded goals all period long but it was Virginia who took a 5- lead into halftime.

Colin Briggs evened things up for Virginia with a buzzer that flew past Niko Amato at the 12:47 mark of the second quarter.

Matt White then gave Virginia their first lead of the day with a sneaky goal at the 9:43 mark when he slipped behind the Terp defenders and quick-sticked it in past Amato.

Nick O’Reilly assisted on both goals.

Tired of watching Virginia have all the fun, Maryland got back on the board thanks to John Haus at the 8:14 mark. The goal was unassisted as Haus drove from the right side and flung it past the goalie.

Then Maryland took back the lead at the 7:44 mark thanks to Owen Blye, who caught the ball behind the goal, saw that the Virginia defenders were giving him too much room and took off to the goal where he careened it off the post for a 3-2 lead.

Just when you thought Maryland has regained control of the game, Colin Briggs came back and tied things up again. Briggs raced around the back of the net and took his man one-on-one to the net, shooting over the shoulder and making it 3-3 with 4:24 remaining. Considering Briggs missed the semifinal game, the Cavs are pretty happy to have him back right now.

Nick O’Reilly then stopped assisting and started scoring when he was the recipient of a beautiful pass right in front of the net, dumping it in at 2:41 to make it 4-3 Cavs. Stanwick and Cockerton assisted.

Briggs then made it a hat trick with a big-time powershot at the 1:59 mark to give Virginia the first two-goal lead either team has had in the game.

For more coverage of the game as well as in-game discussion, visit SB Nation’s college lacrosse blog College Crosse, Virginia blog Streaking The Lawn and Maryland blog Testudo Times.