No. 10 Maryland field hockey scores early goal, holds on for 1-0 victory over No. 16 Michigan

After fielding five shot attempts, No. 10 Maryland field hockey had a chance to score the first of its own on a penalty corner.

Sammy Popper capitalized, giving the Terps the 1-0 lead.

Maryland (11-3, 3-1 Big Ten) kept the one-goal lead for the entirety of the game despite being outshot by No. 16 Michigan (6-7, 1-5) 20-to-8, holding on for the 1-0 victory.

“We won the game on an attack penalty corner,” coach Missy Meharg said. “And we won the game on superb defensive penalty corners.”

Maryland started the game on the defensive, spending virtually all of the game’s first eight minutes in their own defensive zone.

The Terps’ first offensive opportunity came on a penalty corner attempt with just under seven minutes left in the frame. Popper capitalized, firing the ball into the left corner of the goal from the top of the circle as Ericka Morris-Adams and Margot Lawn assisted to give the Terps a 1-0 lead.

The goal was Popper’s second in two games.

Maryland had another opportunity to score in the first quarter as the team received another penalty corner under two minutes later, but Josie Hollamon’s shot went just high. 

Maryland’s defense held up through multiple offensive barrages, freshman goalie Alyssa Klebasko made two saves in the quarter.

Michigan was close to tying the game on a penalty corner less than three minutes into the second quarter, Erin Reilly’s attempt was deflected by midfielder Hannah Boss.

Despite outshooting the Terps 15-to-6 with two more shots on goal, Michigan was unable to score in the first half.

The Wolverines had two more attempts on penalty corners in the frame. Senior Anouk Veen’s shot on the final attempt was saved by a splitting Klebasko.

Maryland responded with three shots of its own, including one on goal by freshman Maci Bradford. Goalie Caylie McMahon was able to make the diving save to hold the Terps’ lead to one.

Maryland’s offensive attack continued to be silent. Michigan got its sixth penalty corner of the game, its first of the second half.

Kelsey Reviello’s shot on the corner attempt was saved by Klebasko for her seventh of the game.

Michigan got its seventh penalty corner under five minutes later, but Veen’s shot was once again saved by Klebasko for a career-high eighth save of the game. Veen’s shot rebounded back to her, but her second shot attempt was wide left.

“Alyssa Klebasko probably had the game of her career here,” Meharg said “We can all attest to that.”

By the end of three quarters, the Wolverines were ahead of the Terps in penalty corner attempts 9-to-2. Maryland’s defense fiercely defended the shooting circle, continuing to hold them scoreless.

Michigan’s last penalty corner attempt in the third quarter went into the back of the net off the stick of Boss, but the goal was waved as the score remained 1-0.

Boss had a diving shot attempt for the Terps trying to give the Terps a two-goal lead, but the shot went just wide right of the goal.

The attempt was one of Maryland’s last shots of the game, as the Terps didn’t have a single shot attempt in the fourth quarter.

The Terps defense continued to go on the attack, fielding Michigan’s tenth penalty corner attempt off while preventing the Wolverines from even issuing a shot on the attempt.

“What we did was have them take really bad shots,” Meharg said. “That’s just [because of] great pressure on the ball and we work so hard at that.”

Maryland will look to build on the momentum from the win in Ann Arbor when it takes on No. 9 Ohio State this Sunday at 1 p.m.