Preview: No. 3 Maryland field hockey returns home for matchup against No. 12 Harvard

No. 3 Maryland (4-0) field hockey prepares for its first game of the Terrapin Invitational this weekend, as the Terps are set to face No. 12 Harvard (1-1) on Friday. 

Friday will be the first game back in College Park for the Terps after a two game stretch last weekend at Boston College as part of the B1G/ACC Cup.

“To fuel our fire and go back home and play in front of our family and friends and other students, it’s just very exciting for all of us,” midfielder Emma DeBerdine said.

The Terps enter Friday with a hot start to their season, winning all of their first four games including two victories over ranked opponents. 

In its last time out against No. 16 Duke, Maryland used a six-goal run to overpower the Blue Devils, 7-2. All seven goals came from different Terps scorers.

Maryland opened the game down 1-0 following a quick Duke goal on the first penalty corner of the game. After the goal, the Terps scored six unanswered goals of their own.

The Terps tied the game up in the second quarter after forward Hope Rose scored on a goal that tipped over the goalies head. Maryland then took the lead going into halftime after a score fired in from defender Maura Verleg near the outside of the circle.

Maryland increased their lead to two in the third quarter as midfielder Leah Crouse found the back of the net for her second goal of the season.

The Terps completely opened up the game in the fourth thanks to goals from midfielder Bibi Donraadt, forward Margot Lawn, midfielder Kylee Niswonger, and DeBerdine.

“We’re having a great time,” freshman midfielder Ericka Morris-Adams said. “We’ve come together so much as a team, but we’re hoping to keep that winning streak going and to bring this energy to the next game and the next game after that.”

Through four games, Maryland has scored 14 more goals and attempted 66 more shots than its opponents, dominating the field.

Sophomore sensation Rose leads the Terps in goals (four) and assists (five), points (13), and is tied for the lead in shots (18).

This will be the third straight game for the Terps against a ranked opponent.

Harvard opened its 2022 campaign with a 1-0 overtime win over then-No. 24 Miami (Ohio). Freshman defender Bronte-May Brough scored the game winning goal for the Crimson in overtime.

“[Harvard] play[s] a slower brand,” head coach Missy Meharg said. “So we’re going to want to play very fast hockey, very calculated, especially in our front seven yards, but I think we have a speed advantage.”

The Crimson fell in their next game against then-No. 15 UConn. UConn took a 1-0 lead in the first quarter, and increased its lead to two in the fourth to secure the win over Harvard. 

Harvard attempted six penalty corners in the fourth quarter, including three in the final five minutes, but converted on none. Harvard and UConn both attempted 12 shots in the affair, but UConn notched one more shot on goal (five).

In its first two games of the season, Harvard has played its opponents close. The Crimson have attempted just one more shot than their opponents, 20:19, and have notched one fewer shot on goal, 8:9.

Brough has been a workforce for Harvard, as she leads the Crimson in points (two), shots (nine), and is tied in minutes (126).

Maryland has faced Harvard only once before. The Terps defeated the Crimson 3-1 in September of 2018.

The game on Friday will start at 5 p.m. and will take place at the Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex in College Park.