The Maryland Terrapins do their pre-game ritual before the first half of the Maryland vs Penn game that the Terps led 5-0 at halftime in College Park, MD on October 12, 2014
With less than two minutes remaining Friday in the Big Ten tournament semifinals, the Terrapins field hockey team was clinging to a 1-0 lead. Defender Steffi Schneid played the ball back towards the Terps’ goal. The pass left defender Sarah Sprink surrounded by a host of Penn State attackers, and the Nittany Lions earned a penalty corner.
Off the set piece, forward Laura Gebhart rifled a low shot at goalkeeper Brooke Cabrera in an effort to tie the game. But the redshirt senior calmly stuck out her right foot for a kick save.
Gebhart’s shot proved to be the Nittany Lions’ final chance to force overtime and Cabrera’s seven saves sealed the No. 1-seed Terps’ 1-0 victory over No. 4-seed Penn State in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Terps will play No. 3-seed Northwestern Sunday at 1 p.m. for the championship.
“We have actually been waiting for an opportunity to have a real hockey game battle and that means that you have to fight hard to earn the win,” coach Missy Meharg said. “And Maryland had to do that today.”
The Terps needed Cabrera’s best because the offense failed to produce at its usual rate. The offense entered the game averaging 4.42 goals per game, but the Nittany Lions defense held the Terps scoreless in the first half for the first time since Sep. 20 — the last time the Terps lost.
“It was really weird because recently we have been just scoring a lot in our games,” forward Emma Rissinger said. “So Missy just kind of told us to focus on the fun aspect of it and how it’s fun for us to be in such a close game and such a big battle.”
And it was Rissinger who was able to finally break the scoreless tie with the first game-winning goal of her career. Less than three minutes after the Terps took the field in the second half after Meharg’s advice, the Terps picked up their third penalty corner of the game.
Forward Moira Putsch used her speed to blow by a couple defenders and then weaved back towards the circle to draw the whistle. Defender Sarah Sprink took the initial pass off the corner and carried right, but her shot was deflected away from the goal to the left.
That’s where Rissinger was waiting.
“We know that a lot of times, especially on this field since it is so bouncy, that the rebounds can fly in any direction,” the redshirt sophomore said.
Rissinger gathered the loose ball and in one swift motion sent it just inside the left post, inches out of the reach of a diving Kylie Licata in goal. The Pennsylvanaia native, who comes off the bench for the Terps, trotted back towards midfield sporting a wide smile.
But the time for celebration quickly subsided when the Terps defense made a careless turnover minutes after Rissinger’s goal. Schneid attempted to play the ball back to defender Rachel Frusher, but the pass was off the mark and it deflected dangerously off Frusher’s stick.
Penn State forward Taylor Herold, who ranks second in the Big Ten with 17 goals on the year, flicked a one-timer up into the air. It seemed destined for goal, but Cabrera swatted it out of midair with her stick.
Just as she did in the final minutes of the game, Cabrera bailed out her defense with a save after an unforced error in the defensive end. And both times proved crucial as the Terps earned their first one-goal win since Oct. 10 when they topped Penn State 4-3.
The win provides the Terps an opportunity to earn redemption against the Wildcats, which handed the Terps their only conference loss and their most recent loss.
“We are just ecstatic to be here,” Meharg said. “Being in the ACC for so many years has prepared us well.”
