Preview: No. 2 Maryland field hockey looks to continue winning ways against No. 20 Rutgers

No. 2 Maryland field hockey (13-1) looks to stay undefeated in conference play as the Terps face No. 20 Rutgers (7-6) Sunday in College Park. 

The Terps are facing the first of their last four opponents to close out the season, all of whom are ranked. 

Maryland’s only loss of the season came against No. 7 Princeton in late September, where the Terps fell 4-3 in overtime. Since the Princeton loss, Maryland has gone 6-0, including three overtime wins against ranked opponents. 

The Terps’ last match was a dominant 11-0 victory over Georgetown. The offensive clinic against Georgetown featured two Terps recording hat tricks.

Defender Riley Donnelly opened up scoring for the Terps just under four minutes into the first quarter. On the third penalty corner of the game for the Terps, Donnelly’s shot deflected off a Hoya defender and into the goal past Georgetown goalkeeper Ciara Weets. 

Later in the first with the Terps up 3-0, Donnelly attempted Maryland’s second penalty stroke of the season, beating Weets with a shot to the left corner of the cage for her second goal of the game. 

With Maryland leading 8-0 in the third, Donnelly attempted her second penalty stroke of the game, this time beating Weets to her right side as she completed the hat trick. 

“Obviously it’s a nice stat to have but overall I’m just really happy about the quality of play and minutes and my fitness being back and just feeling myself,” Donnelly said.

Midfielder Bibi Donraadt added to the offensive clinic with a hat trick of her own. 

Moments after Donnelly’s goal in the first, Donraadt was found by fellow midfielder Dani van Rootselaar with a shot in front of the goal. Donraadt flipped a shot over the diving Weets for her first goal of the game. 

Donraadt chipped in two more goals, with one coming in the opening minutes of the third and another in the fourth. 

The pair were the first hat tricks for Maryland since 2019, when Madison Maguire scored three goals against Michigan State. 

Maryland’s offense ranks as the best among Big Ten opponents, averaging 4.35 goals per game, over one goal more than the next highest conference team. 

Forward Hope Rose is the squads leading scorer, with ten goals and seven assists on the season. Rose has missed the team’s last four games with a lower body injury and is considered day-to-day. 

Van Rootselaar has also contributed offensively for the Terps. The Brown transfer has ten goals on the season, adding in three assists as well. 

Goalkeeper Paige Kieft has started the past nine games for Maryland, registering 20 saves while allowing only 1.42 goals per game. 

“The way that we structure and handle the ball are so crisp and sharp,” coach Missy Meharg said. “Ball speed is high, that when it comes into the midfield and then up to the forward line, there’s this incredible amount of confidence from that.”

Statistically, Rutgers is one of the worst teams in the Big Ten. The Scarlet Knights average just 1.42 goals per game, the fewest in the Big Ten. Rutgers allows two goals per game, the second most in the Big Ten.

Despite their pessimistic stats, the Scarlet Knights are 4-5 against ranked opponents this season, including a 2-1 victory over No. 3 Northwestern last Saturday. 

Rutgers opened the game with two goals in the first period from midfielder/forward Indy van Ek and backer Iris Langejans, all the Scarlet Knights needed to down the Wildcats.

Van Ek and Langejans are tied for the team lead with three goals. Langejans also has four assists on the season, the team lead. 

Midfielder/forward Marique Dieudonne has also registered three goals for the Scarlet Knights. 

Goalkeeper Sophia Howard has 57 saves on the season for Rutgers, with a save percentage of 71.3%.

“I love the energy and the coaching,” Meharg said. “I think you’re always gonna get a battle with Rutgers.”

Rutgers is led by head coach Meredith Civico in her 11th season at the helm of the program. Civico won 103 games in her first ten seasons, leading the team to its first two NCAA tournament appearances. 

All-time, Maryland is 34-3-1 against Rutgers. The last match resulted in a 1-0 Rutgers victory last October.

The game on Sunday will start at 4 p.m. and will take place at the Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex in College Park.