With seconds remaining and the prospects of facing overtime on the road, players often prepare for sudden death. Jackie Ciconte didn’t start any of that.

Against Ohio State, with the game tied at one, the senior forward deflected a penalty corner from freshman Susie Rowe and deposited the ball into the cage with all zeros left on the clock.

The final goal may not have been a factor had it not been for a timeout at the 60 minute mark, with the Terps trailing by one.

“Ever since that timeout in the second half, we knew what we had to do,” Ciconte said. “We had to dig deep and finish.”

With just a little more than eight minutes remaining, Ciconte tied the game on another penalty corner. It happened serendipitously — but only because of Ciconte’s skills as a sniper near the cage.

“It was important for Susie [Rowe] to get her shot on the cage so we could play out the corner,” senior back Emily Beach said. “Jackie [Ciconte] made a great play on both of those goals to finish it.”

Ciconte, on a three-game scoring streak, will likely continue to be a factor at home today against Michigan (0-2) and at perrenial powerhouse Old Dominion (1-1) Sunday.

The Terps (3-0) cashed in on one-third of their penalty corner chances against Ohio State, a marked improvement over their 2-for-15 performance at Northwestern. Penalty corners have accounted for half of the Terps’ 10 goals in their first three games.

But the game against Ohio State showed one thing about Ciconte: her flair for the dramatic. Of her four goals, two were game winners, matching her total from all of last season. Ciconte realizes, though, that miracles such as a last second goal won’t come along every game.

“We were a little bit slow,” she said. “We’ve always been called a second-half team, but we want to come out in the first half and play our game.”

While squeaking out a win against Ohio State, who went 10-10 last year, may seem like a cause for concern, the desperation win may pay dividends in ACC competition and in the playoffs.

“It shows we can bounce back from whatever adversity or troubling times we’re having on the field,” junior back Linzi Jones said. “Later in the season, it’ll give our opponents something to fear, knowing we can steal a game even after it’s finished.”

Contact reporter Stephen Whyno at whynodbk@gmail.com.