Attacker Alex Aust.

Alex Aust has always harbored a strong affinity for this state, despite growing up in Sterling, Va. She attended Bullis School in Potomac for high school, and her dad even attended this university.

So when the No. 1 Terrapins women’s lacrosse team heads to Charlottesville, Va., to take on No. 8 Virginia tonight, it won’t simply be another crucial ACC contest for the senior. It’ll be a homecoming.

“I try to make my impact where I can,” said Aust, whose family and friends will be in attendance tonight. “As long as we get the win, that’s all that really matters.”

Through three games this season, Aust has been an instrumental piece of the nation’s third-ranked offense. She has notched 10 goals and three assists, and her 13 points are second on the team, only to midfielder Katie Schwarzmann.

Aust demonstrated her playmaking ability in the Terps’ season opener Feb. 10, tallying four goals and one assist to lead the Terps to a 20-7 rout of Richmond.

“She’s stepped up as a leader for us,” coach Cathy Reese said. “She does a great job on and off the field and helping us direct and organize our offense.”

But evolving into one of Reese’s top options didn’t come overnight for Aust.

She came to the Terps as one of the most decorated prospects in the nation. The attacker was named a first team All-American her junior year at Bullis, and was named to the Under Armour All-American team as a senior.

But when Aust arrived in College Park, her raw potential failed to translate to the college game. She totaled just nine goals and three assists her freshman year while fighting for playing time on a veteran-laden squad.

She got on the field more in her sophomore season, but her contributions still didn’t display her true potential. Aust started all but one game but still failed to provide a big impact, notching 20 goals and 22 assists.

At the Terps’ summer camps — devoid of the pressure of playing in the national spotlight — Aust would thrive. But Reese wanted to see her off-season brilliance translate to regular-season success.

“We’d watch her play and say, ‘When is it going to click?’” Reese said. “She was so good. She had such good stick work and she’s so talented.”

As a junior, Aust finally seemed to figure out how to be the threat Reese envisioned her being. She tallied 44 goal and 52 assists en route to being named a second team All-American.

“I got comfortable in my game last year,” Aust said. “With the help of Karri Ellen [Johnson] and Kristy Black, who I could just throw the ball anywhere and they could catch and score. It kind of made my job easy.”

Aust really established herself as one of the most noteworthy players in the nation in last season’s ACC tournament. In the opening round against Virginia Tech, she tied a tournament record with five assists to help the Terps cruise to a 15-7 victory. Then, against Duke, she tallied seven points on four assists and three goals en route to a 12-3 shellacking.

Finally, against North Carolina in the tournament finals, Aust notched four assists and one goal to help clinch a 14-10 Terps victory and the championship.

“Building up to that game, she was gaining more confidence,” Schwarzmann said. “Then, during the tournament it really showed.”

As a former national champion and All-America selection, Aust has evolved into a leader for the younger players this year — including younger sister, Nicole.

“I see how hard she goes,” Nicole Aust said. “She’s always there to push me. Like if I’m ever having an off day, she’s always there to pick me up.”

When the Austs return to their home state tonight for the Terps’ (3-0, 1-0 ACC) game against the Cavaliers (2-1, 0-0), that competitive attitude will be on display for friends and family. Sure, Alex is excited to see her loved ones. But come game time, it’ll be business as usual.

“Maryland’s always been in my heart,” Aust said. “But it’s definitely exciting to go to Virginia.”

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