WASHINGTON -- Maryland had several excuses to fold.
The Terps had all 11 starters play the entire 120 minutes. They couldn't hold two one-goal leads. They had never played before 3,000 hostile fans.
But the Terps didn't fold.
Malcolm Gillian scored on a shot that ricocheted off the inside left post with 7:15 remaining in overtime to lead No. 24 Maryland to a 4-3 victory over ninth-ranked Georgetown in the first round of the NCAA tournament. It was the Terps' first postseason victory in 25 years.
"It says a lot about our character," said Gillian (Oakland Mills), who finished with two goals and an assist. "We knew it meant too much. We all stepped it up a gear out there."
The victory marked Maryland's fifth consecutive win over a ranked opponent and raised its overtime record to 3-0 this season. Maryland (14-5-1) will play the winner of today's Virginia-UNC-Greensboro matchup.
"I told the guys before this game that this wasn't the pinnacle," Maryland coach Sasho Cirovski said. "Winning the first round is great, but that's not the end. I indicated all year that they can play with the best teams and beat the best teams."
And Gillian usually leads the Terps to those upsets. Seven of his 10 goals this season came against ranked opponents, including two game-winners.
On a counterattack, Maryland midfielder Matt Larson found Gillian upfield. Spinning to his right about 5 yards in front of the goal, Gillian angled the ball past the outstretched arms of diving goalie Phil Wellington.
"It was a 50-50 ball," Wellington said. "He toe-poked it right underneath me. I had no other choice than to meet him. Give him credit, it was a great goal."
Maryland began the game tentatively and fell behind 1-0 just 20:55 into the game. Then both teams had a brief shootout, combining for three goals in a 2:39 span.
Terps midfielder Doug Smith scored off an assist from Gillian at the 40-minute mark to tie the game. Gillian scored 1:42 later to put the Terps ahead 2-1, dribbling around the Hoyas' Chris Jones and sliding the ball past Wellington on a one-on-one situation.
Georgetown (18-4) trailed for less than a minute, as Jones redeemed himself by scoring off a running header to tie the game at 2.
Both teams combined for 43 fouls. However, the physical aspect of the game wasn't a factor until the 80th minute, when Maryland forward Shane Dougherty got fouled by Jones in front of the goal.
Dougherty (Fallston) converted the penalty kick to give the Terps a 3-2 lead.
But 1:40 later, Terps defender Jason Lipka was called for taking down Ben McKnight near the goal.
McKnight scored on his penalty kick to tie the game again.
"It was a professional dive," Lipka said. "I never touched him. There was no foul involved."
Gaining momentum, the Hoyas outshot Maryland 4-2 in the first 20 minutes of overtime. Then Gillian netted the winning score for his third career multiple-goal game.
"It was definitely the biggest and best game of my career," said Gillian, a senior forward. "I know this is the last time to make something out of my career."