No. 2-seed Maryland field hockey advances to Big Ten Semifinals with victory over No. 7-seed Ohio State, 5-2

Tied at two entering the fourth quarter, No. 2-seed Maryland field hockey searched for a fourth quarter push to surge past No. 7-seed Ohio State.

Maryland’s first penalty corner in the quarter occurred four minutes in, when midfielder Emma DeBerdine inserted the ball to midfielder Nathalie Fiechter.

Fiechter set up the shot for defender Riley Donnelly, who fired a shot high into the left corner of the cage past Danson, giving the Terps a 3-2 lead with her second goal of the day to help lift the Terps over the Buckeyes.

The Terps tacked on two more goals in the fourth, defeating the Buckeyes 5-2 to advance to the Big Ten Semifinals.

“I expect to win and I expect the girls to be great and win,” coach Missy Meharg said. “So it feels good. It feels right for this team.”

Ohio State received the first penalty corner attempt of the game 2:37 into the first quarter. Forward Sarah Charley’s shot was blocked by the defense, and midfielder Hallie Brost’s follow attempt missed wide of the goal.

Charley was the leading goalscorer for the Buckeyes in the regular season, delivering 11 goals with 35 shots on goal. 

Maryland followed with a corner attempt of its own moments later. Midfielder Dani van Rootselaar’s shot was saved by goalkeeper Abby Danson, but the Terps got a second try at the goal. Defender Muara Verleg attempted another shot on the corner attempt, but Danson blocked her shot as well.

Danson registered the highest save percentage in the Big Ten during the regular season, saving 80% of the shots she faced. Danson registered 72 saves total.

Neither team found an edge in the first, entering the second quarter scoreless. Both teams attempted three shots and one penalty corner attempt. 

Danson registered two saves in the first for the Buckeyes.

The Buckeyes opened the second quarter aggressive, as midfielder Claudia Thomas fired a backhanded shot that sailed over the goal. 

Ohio State received the first corner attempt of the quarter just over two minutes in, but Charley’s shot was saved by Maryland goalkeeper Christina Calandra. 

The Terps received their first corner attempt of the quarter minutes later, but Donnelly’s shot was saved by Danson. After missing the first two games of the season, Donnelly recorded six goals and four assists in the regular season for Maryland. 

Their next attempt came with 8:15 left in the quarter, and this one more successful. 

Van Rootselaar’s shot was saved by a diving Danson before deflecting high off a Buckeyes defender. Midfielder Leah Crouse found the deflection and tapped it into the goal over the fallen Danson to give the Terps a 1-0 lead. 

Crouse recorded nine goals for the Terps in the regular season, including five game-winning goals. 

The Buckeyes had a chance to match the goal with a penalty corner attempt of their own, but forward/midfielder Zella Bailey’s shot missed wide.

The next attempt for the Buckeyes was also unsuccessful, as the Maryland defense blocked midfielder Leanne Bough’s attempt. 

The unsuccessful attempts didn’t seem to matter though, as Brost weaved her way through Terps defenders with under two minutes remaining in the half. Brost fired a shot past Calandra into the left corner of the cage, tying the game at one.

With one second remaining in the half, the Terps were awarded their fifth penalty corner of the game. Donnelly fired a shot into the left corner of the goal, which was deflected off of Danson’s pads and redirected into the other side of goal as Maryland regained the lead as the buzzer sounded.

Leading 2-1 at the half, the Terps were outshot 11:8 by the Buckeyes, but notched more shots on goal, 7:4. 

Danson registered five saves in the half while Calandra notched three for the Terps. 

The first penalty corner of the second half was unsuccessful, as Buckeyes midfielder Emma Goldean’s shot was blocked by Calandra. 

“I really applaud our corner defense,” Meharg said. “I thought our goalkeeper Christina Calandra was really special today.”

Maryland’s first corner of the quarter was also unsuccessful, as Ohio State blocked Maryland’s delayed shot.

Van Rootselaar received a yellow card with just under six minutes left in the quarter, and the Buckeyes took advantage of it just minutes later. On their sixth corner attempt of the game, Charley fired the ball into a tight window in the right corner of the goal to tie the game back even at two.

On the first penalty corner for the Terps of the fourth quarter, Donnelly scored her second goal of the game to put the Terps ahead 3-2. 

Both of Donnelly’s goals came when the game was tied. 

“It’s great you scored but you know you can’t let off the gas pedal,” Donnelly said. “You have to keep going, keep attacking going forward.”

With just over three minutes left, Calandra came up with a leaping save off a Charley penalty corner shot to keep the Terps ahead 3-2. After the corner attempt, the Buckeyes pulled Danson in favor of an extra fielder. 

Goals from van Rootselaar and forward Hope Rose in the final three minutes of the game tacked on to Maryland’s lead even further, as the Terps advanced with a 5-2 win — their first in the Big Ten Tournament since 2018.

Maryland now awaits the winner of the Rutgers-Northwestern game. The semifinal bout will take place Friday at 4 p.m.