Defender Carrie Hanks moves the ball forward in an 8-1 win over American on Oct.29.
There were plenty of moments for high fives and fist bumps for the Terrapins field hockey team last night. Eight times the Terps trotted back toward their own half congratulating a goal-scorer.
The result was yet another blowout victory, which extended the squad’s winning streak to 10 games. Three players scored twice to power the No. 2 Terps to an 8-1 win over American in the only midweek contest of the season at the Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex.
The game marked the fourth time in the team’s past five matches it scored eight or more goals. The Terps have outscored opponents 37-4 during the stretch.
“In 27 years it’s probably happened,” coach Missy Meharg said. “Can I remember it? No.”
During the Terps’ recent offensive surge, they have frequently jumped out to early leads and last night’s bout against the Eagles (8-8) wasn’t an exception. Within the first nine minutes of the game, the Terps (15-2) earned five penalty corners.
On the second corner, assistant coach Joppe de Vries opted for a new variation he hadn’t used through the Terps’ first 131 corners of the season. Defender Sarah Sprink passed to forward Katie Gerzabek, who quickly sent a return ball that Sprink bounced off a defender into the corner of the goal.
“It was a little something we have been working on at practice,” forward Alyssa Parker said. “It looked good at practice, but it’s all about executing in the game, and they did.”
The Terps added a pair of goals in the next 10 minutes. First it was Parker, who slotted home her fifth goal of the season after a cross from midfielder Maxine Fluharty left the net open. Then midfielder Anna Dessoye, who leads the team in points, cracked a shot from the top of the circle that also found the back of the net.
The first-half offensive rout wasn’t over, though. Forward Moira Putsch tallied two goals before the end of the half to mark the second consecutive game the Terps scored five times in the first period. Her second came on a strong individual effort, when she ran into the circle in a one-on-one situation, stopped, spun and buried a shot past goalkeeper Kate McBeath.
“We have been putting what we’ve been practicing a lot into the game,” said Putsch, who became the fourth Terp to compile double-digit goals on the season.
Despite the high-scoring half, McBeath managed to make 12 saves. The sophomore netminder was constantly under pressure as the Terps outshot the Eagles 21-1 in the period and out-cornered them 10-0.
In the second half, the pace slowed, and the Terps took seven shots in the final 35 minutes of play. Still, they managed to extend the lead with accurate shooting on the limited opportunities.
“We talked about just keeping our intensity up,” Putsch said. “That was nice that we could do that.”
The Terps continued to dominate possession and it resulted in a quick score. Sprink, who finished with 10 shots, finished her second goal off a corner, this time on a straight shot. Then about five minutes later, Parker also tallied up her second of the night. She dribbled through multiple defenders before lifting it over McBeath.
Forward Emma Rissinger scored the Terps’ final goal of the night on a diving effort, but the Terps couldn’t hold on for the shutout at the other end. Backup goalkeeper Jill Genovese, who entered the game at halftime, allowed the Eagles’ first shot on goal of the game to find the back of the net with 15 minutes remaining in the contest.
While American had a brief moment to celebrate, it was the Terps leaving the field as winners for the 10th straight time, a streak in which the Terps have outscored their opponents, 56-10.
And Meharg thinks yesterday was the most dominant victory of all.
“Maryland, probably for 70 minutes, played their best game,” Meharg said. “Their best game of team attack.”
