No. 2 Maryland field hockey dominates over No. 5 Virginia, 2-0

On the second penalty corner attempt of the game for Virginia, the Cavaliers found themselves suffering communication issues, as nobody picked up the insertion pass. 

The ball was picked up by midfielder Dani van Rootselaar, who found an open Belle Bressler on the left side of the goal. The midfielder then flipped it to forward Hope Rose, who delivered a diving shot past the dazed goalkeeper Jet Trimborn. 

“For that goal, I think it had five total passes … these are the type of drills and passing patterns that we do in practice a lot in common flow drills,” coach Missy Meharg said. “Certainly I’m sure for Virginia that wasn’t quite where that person wanted to push the ball out from the corner but we’ll take it.”

The goal by Rose was the encapsulation of a gritty 2-0 victory for No. 2 Maryland field hockey over No. 5 Virginia, rebounding off its second loss of the season last Friday.

Defense prevailed for both sides early on, as neither team got a shot off for the first 8:05 of the game. 

Maryland received the first penalty corner of the game with six minutes left in the first. Midfielder Bibi Dronraadt inserted the ball to midfielder Nathalie Fiechter, who set up the shot for Rootselaar. Van Rootselaar’s rocket shot was saved by Trumborn, stalling the corner attempt for the Terps. 

The freshman Trimborn entered the match anchoring the Virginia defense, allowing only 0.969 goals per game with 22 saves on the season. 

The Terps received the next penalty corner of the game with 1:17 left in the first when Donraadt sent the ball in for defender Riley Donnelly. Donnelly fired the shot past Trimborn into the right side of the backboard, putting the Terps ahead 1-0.

At the end of the first, both teams attempted two shots, but Maryland received both penalty corner attempts. 

Virginia received its first penalty corner of the game 2:36 into the second quarter. The shot by midfielder Noa Boterman was punched away by goalkeeper Christina Calandra, stalling the opportunity for the Cavaliers. 

Calandra got the start after replacing Paige Kieft in the second half of the Terps’ 5-1 loss against Penn State on Friday. Calandra started the first five games of the season before getting subbed by Kieft for the next 11. 

“Our coaching staff and our leaders just felt that it was a good time for a change,” Meharg said. “In the middle of a heated season you try to go with something and I think it was just time for a change. And I think Christina did super super well.”

Maryland capitalized on communication issues on the next Virginia penalty corner, taking the ball into the Virginia zone and scoring off a Rose goal.

The goal was Rose’s 11th of the season and her first back from injury. The bout against Penn State was Rose’s first since Sep. 25 against Michigan State, as she missed five games with a lower body injury. 

Rose attempted the shot on the next Maryland penalty corner, but that shot was unsuccessful.

Neither team scored again in the first half, sending the Terps ahead 2-0 at the half. Virginia outshot the Terps 6:5 at the half, but only three of its shots were on goal compared to the Terps’ five. 

Like the first quarter, the third started slow with no shots by either team in the first 10:09 of the quarter. 

Maryland couldn’t take advantage of two green cards by Virginia, failing to register a shot during both player advantages.

Donnelly received a green card with 3:16 left in the quarter. The Cavaliers were unable to capitalize on the advantage as well, as Calandra came up with a kicking save on a Virginia penalty corner attempt. 

Calandra finished with four saves. 

“We always talked about staying ready so you don’t have to get ready,” Calandra said. “I feel like that’s what I’ve been doing.”

Virginia outshot Maryland 3:0 in the third, but still trailed by two entering the fourth.

Striker Taryn Tkachuk had an open look for the Cavaliers with just over eight minutes left in the fourth, but her shot missed wide of the goal, keeping their deficit at two.

With 4:30 to go, the Cavaliers received their fourth penalty corner of the game, but Boterman’s attempt missed right of the goal. 

Maryland then received a corner attempt of its own with just over two minutes left, but Donelly’s shot was unsuccessful.

It didn’t matter though as the Terps held Virginia from scoring, winning the game by the final score of 2-0.  

Maryland now shifts its focus to its season finale, when the Terps will take on No. 13 UConn in Connecticut on Sunday.