Midfielder Anna Dessoye takes the ball up the field in the Terps’ 4-1 win over Wake Forest on Sept. 20, 2013.

Though the Terrapins field hockey team already clinched a No. 1 seed in the ACC tournament with its win against then-No. 5 Virginia on Oct. 25, it wanted to continue its series of strong performances that have resulted in dominant victories.

The No. 1 Terps achieved that goal in their 5-1 win against No. 7 Duke at Williams Field at Jack Katz Stadium on Saturday afternoon, capping their regular season with a three-game winning streak entering tournament play.

“Maryland really jumped on the game,” coach Missy Meharg said. “We dominated from the pushback.”

The Terps (18-1, 6-0 ACC) are the only team with a first-round bye in the ACC tournament. They will play the winner of Thursday’s game between fifth-seeded Virginia and fourth-seeded Duke. The Blue Devils could have jumped to the No. 3 seed if they had beaten the Terps, but Duke (13-5, 3-3) struggled to find a way into the game.

As in the Terps’ 9-0 win against Georgetown on Oct. 27, penalty corners played a key role against the Blue Devils. The Terps had a 6-1 edge over Duke in penalty corners during the first period, with three of the Terps’ six resulting in goals.

Midfielder Anna Dessoye tapped in a drive from defender Ali McEvoy to get the team on the board, and defender Steffi Schneid scored off another penalty corner to double the lead. In the 32nd minute, McEvoy and Dessoye combined again off a set play to make it 3-0 before halftime.

“Our penalty corner execution was very high,” Meharg said. “We’ve added some different dimensions to it. The women are practicing very detailed, so we’re excited.”

The Blue Devils picked up their offense in the second half, drawing seven penalty corners in the period, but the Terps responded to Duke’s pressure with quick, precise play to extend their lead.

After outlasting two Blue Devils penalty corners in quick succession, the Terps launched a counterattack that midfielder Alyssa Parker finished with a goal in the 61st minute. Less than three minutes later, forward Mieke Hayn scored to make it 5-0. The team’s efficiency on offense was an improvement from its previous ACC matchup against Virginia.

“In the Virginia match, we had some lulls in terms of buildup where we were kind of slow,” Meharg said. “Today, their ball speed was very high and their vision to go forward was quick.”

Blue Devils forward Emmie Le Marchand scored off a penalty stroke to cut the deficit to 5-1 with about five minutes remaining, but it was the only blemish for the Terps in a game in which they controlled play from the outset.

The Terps’ versatility makes them a tough opponent to beat, and they continue to build on their diverse strengths entering the postseason. With the ACC tournament up next, the team will look to continue its series of dominant performances, in which its options have been key in tallying victories.

“We have a lot of different people playing in different positions,” Meharg said. “Which is a really great thing to have happen at this time of the year.”