No. 9 Maryland field hockey squeaks past Indiana, 2-1

Maryland desperately needed a momentum boost with the game tied at one over halfway through the third quarter. It had a golden chance for just that with its first penalty quarter since the first frame.

Hope Rose took the shot, but a Arabella Loveridge save thwarted the chance momentarily. Then Maci Bradford put in a rebound into the back of the net from the left side for the go-ahead score for the Terps. They led the rest of the way.

No. 9 Maryland field hockey (14-3, 6-1 Big Ten) squeaked by Indiana (5-12, 0-7 Big Ten) on senior day, 2-1.

“[The win is] fantastic,” coach Missy Meharg said. “All their families are here from Europe. It’s exciting for all of them and they’ve had tremendous careers here.”

The Terps started off with an unusually quiet first few minutes — they scored within the first eight minutes in seven straight games entering the day — as both offenses traded penalty corners early on. Maryland’s first shot from Josie Hollamon missed wide left.

Its offense then struck first just over eight minutes in as Margot Lawn scored her seventh goal of the season on a hard and elevated point blank shot from the right side to give the Terps the 1-0 lead.

Maryland had a chance to double its lead on a penalty corner attempt with less than a minute left in the frame, but Rose’s attempt was saved by a diving Loveridge.

The Terps’ offensive attack went quiet in the second quarter. They failed to register a single shot on goal and went to the half outshot by the Hoosiers by one. Still, they held a slim 1-0 lead.

Maryland finally drew another first penalty corner and took advantage with the Bradford goal for the Terps’ second score of the game — the ultimate decisive goal.

“It’s a complete luxury,” Meharg said. “To be able to spot people here and there because they’re gonna pick up for each other when need be.”

The Hoosiers had their first golden opportunity to score and tie the game at one less than four minutes into the second quarter. But back-to-back shots from Sarah Charley and Jemima Cookson were blocked by Alyssa Klebasko. Another Klebasko save on a penalty corner attempt soon after kept Indiana off the scoreboard.

The freshman once again had a superb day, only allowing one goal while making seven saves. The excellent performance continued her streak of giving up only one goal or less in six straight outings.

“Everytime I say I hope the freshman class comes in better than us,” senior Rayne Wright said. “Because that means the next year is gonna be even better.”

The Hoosiers got off a barrage of penalty corners early in the third quarter, with four attempts in a row less than two minutes into the frame. Klebasko made the save on two shots. It was only on the fourth attempt that Sofia Arrebola Garci put the ball past a reaching Klebasko to tie the game at one.

That was the lone Indiana score as it couldn’t come back after Bradford’s go-ahead goal less than seven minutes later. It had a chance to tie the game on its ninth — and final — penalty corner of the game, but Yip van Wonderen’s shot was a toe tap save by Klebasko.

The Hoosiers’ offensive inefficiency — they missed 11 of 12 shots — ultimately resulted in the defeat as the Terps did just enough offensively to squeak by with the win.