Jill Genovese spent her first three years as a goalkeeper for the Terrapins field hockey team on the sideline. Goalkeepers Natalie Hunter and Brooke Cabrera combined to man the Terps’ cage, while Genovese worked under the veterans’ tutelage.
But after biding her time on the bench, Genovese has started between the posts in each of the first four contests — the first four starts of her career. Plus, the Rockville native has set career-best marks as she plays her final season in College Park.
“I’ve worked very, very hard in my career here at Maryland to be a starter,” Genovese said. “To be able to actually execute and perform in games is really important to me.“
Genovese has collected 10 saves so far this season, matching her total in six appearances last season. She’s also played more than 251 minutes, which surpasses the nearly 180 minutes she spent in goal in her previous three seasons.
Her rise to becoming the No. 8 Terps’ starting goalkeeper was a gradual one, as she saw about 15 minutes of action as a freshman. Genovese made her first career save a year later, but played about 44 minutes over three contests.
Even so, her role continued to expand in her junior season, and it has been a very important one so far this year.
“I’m very confident with her in the back,” defender Sarah Sprink said. “[I’m] very proud of the way she stepped up from not playing a lot [in] her career so far and now being a starter.”
The Terps’ first two opponents rarely tested Genovese, as coach Missy Meharg’s squad dominated Temple and St. Joseph’s in its opening weekend. Freshman goalkeeper Sarah Holliday even spelled Genovese in the second half against the Hawks.
But Genovese and the rest of the defense succumbed to the pressure of No. 10 Boston College and No. 4 Duke in consecutive overtime losses last weekend. Genovese finished with a career-high four saves against the Eagles and broke that mark against the Blue Devils two days later.
Ultimately, Genovese couldn’t stop the Terps’ opponents from scoring in overtime, but that didn’t prevent Meharg from praising her netminder’s growth in contests with top-tier programs.
“The message for today about our goaltending is that Jill is ready,” Meharg said. “We’ll keep working on those spectacular saves.”
After the Terps fell to the Blue Devils on Sunday night, Genovese said she watched tape of the game and pinpointed the plays when she could have made a different decision. And unlike in previous seasons, she’ll have the opportunity to improve on her mistakes.
“With goalies, it’s so much different because you’re only called upon a few times in a game,” Genovese said. “I have to make sure that I’m there when I’m called upon.”
