Terps embraced Young after mother's death

BALTIMORE -- All around him, Maryland players were in various stages of undress. But over in a corner, senior attack Ryan Young sat dejectedly, still wearing his No. 27 jersey and most of his lacrosse attire.

"The toughest part," Young said, his voice cracking with every sentence, "is knowing I'm not going to put on the jersey again. There's no one in the world to compare to the people in this room."

Young, of Manhasset, leaned heavily on his teammates all season. They stuck with him as he left the Maryland campus for frequent visits to his mother's hospital, and they embraced him when he returned -- both on and off the field.

When Maria Young died after a three-year battle with pancreatic cancer on April 17, his teammates and coaching staff chartered buses to attend the funeral on Long Island. Monday, players, coaches and many Maryland fans wore purple T-shirts with the words "Forever Young MY" on the back in white letters. "The entire Maryland lacrosse community is second to none," Young said.

But Young's Maryland lacrosse team was second to Virginia Monday, losing in the national championship game, 9-7. Young, the Terps' leading scorer, netted a goal to tie it at 6, but the Cavaliers scored the next three goals.

"This journey meant so much to him," Maryland coach John Tillman said. "He's numb. He doesn't want to say good-bye. He doesn't want the journey to end."

Young's twin brother, Kevin, a member of the Duke team that lost to Maryland in the semifinals Saturday, did not stay for Monday's game. But Ryan said they spent time together Saturday night after their game.

"He was happy for me and he told me good luck," Ryan said, adding that they felt their mother's spirit all weekend. "She would be proud of the way we handled ourselves. She knows how much lacrosse meant to us and to all of the players in this room. She's smiling from above, knowing we gave it our all."