Photo Courtesy of Mackenzie Miles/Maryland Terrapins
After two wins in No. 4 Maryland (2-0) field hockey’s home opener, the Terps head to Evanston, Illinois, for a two-game stand against No. 17 Boston College (2-0) and No. 5 Duke (2-0).
The trip to Evanston starts a string of grueling matchups for the Terps, as five of their next six games are against teams currently ranked inside the top 20 of the National Field Hockey Coaches Association poll.
The Terps are not unfamiliar with the ACC opponents, as they have played both teams in the Big Ten/ACC Cup in the previous three seasons, finishing with a combined 4-2 record and +10 goal differential.
The Terps start against the Eagles, who have consistently taken Maryland to the brink. All of the past three contests have been decided by three or fewer goals, and last year’s contest went to overtime, where Josie Holloman potted the game’s lone goal.
Through the first two games of the 2024 season, the Eagles have been led by graduate students Peyton Hale and Yani Zhong. The two have dominated the score sheet, recording five of the Eagles’ nine goals.
Maryland’s offense has been limited to four goals through its first two games, but it has not been due to a lack of trying. The Terps have registered 26 total shots in the games, with half of the shots finding their way on goal.
Excellent goaltending from James Madison transfer Brandelynn Heinbaugh forced the Terps into nearly two full overtime frames against No. 7 Louisville. Maryland then had a quick turnaround against Drexel, and the fatigue from their first game hindered the Terps’ offense in the first half against the Dragons.
“That’s what you saw at the beginning,” coach Missy Meharg said after Sunday’s game on the team’s fatigue from playing nearly two overtime periods. “We didn’t play smart. It’s a game where you just want to let the ball do all the work and serve your energy.”
Boston College (B.C.) also boasts strong defense in the early season, surrendering just 11 shots and allowing only six to reach the net.
B.C. and Maryland have also boasted strong defensive play in the early season. The Eagles have surrendered just 11 shots on goal, while the Terps have surrendered just seven. Most of Maryland’s defensive work has come from its midfield defenders, who use their speed and skill to keep the ball in their opponent’s defensive zone and suffocate any counterattacks in the neutral zone.
Meharg called Maryland’s midfield speed “incredible” after its 2-0 win over Drexel. She then stated how impressed she has been with the group’s cohesion despite playing just a handful of regular-season and exhibition games.
Duke enters the weekend in an identical spot as B.C. as the Blue Devils produced commanding wins in their first two contests. On offense, they are led by Alaina McVeigh, who led the team in goals last year with 17 and continues to lead the team this season with three.
Duke also enters with two new goalkeepers who have split time through the first two games. University of Pennsylvania transfer Frederique Wollaert has made both starts for the Blue Devils and is coming off a 2023 season in which she was a First-Team All-Ivy Goalkeeper.
But Wollaert and freshman Kaiya Chepow have only seen four combined shots on goal — stopping three of them — leaving Maryland with a potential opportunity to take advantage of their minimal experience.
Maryland will begin the road trip on Friday when they face B.C. at 3 p.m. and round out the trip on Sunday at noon against Duke.
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- No. 5 Maryland field hockey eliminated in first round of NCAA Tournament by No. 9 Duke - November 15, 2024
