Entering its game against No. 8 Virginia on Tuesday afternoon, the Maryland field hockey team was coming off back-to-back wins over top-10 opponents. The Terps won, 5-4, at then-No. 5 Penn State on Oct. 16 before delivering then-No. 1 Connecticut its first loss of the season on Sunday.
Behind a career-high eight saves from goalkeeper Sarah Bates, coach Missy Meharg’s team continued this trend with a 2-1 win over the Cavaliers. Maryland has won seven straight games and beaten the Cavaliers 18 of the past 19 times they’ve played.
“Before the season, I looked at the schedule and thought about this week of games and I thought I was crazy,” Meharg said. “But I couldn’t be happier today. We really work hard at having a high-power schedule and I couldn’t be more pleased with the way the women responded.”
Bates made the first save of the game with 20 minutes left in the first half. Virginia’s Lucy Hyams had an open shot from the top of the shooting zone, but Bates’ pad save offered temporary relief. The second penalty corner for Virginia only a minute later wound up in the back of the net, but a violation from the Cavaliers resulted in the referees calling the goal off.
Maryland’s first and only penalty corner put the Terps (14-3) on the board with 12 minutes left in the first half. Forward Linnea Gonzales scored her ninth goal of the season on passes from forward Emma Rissinger and midfielder Lein Holsboer.
Maryland’s lead was short-lived, as forward Riley Tata scored on Virginia’s third penalty corner attempt to tie the game. Tata poked in the loose ball a yard out from the goalmouth for her 10th goal of the season. The Terps have conceded four penalty corner goals in the past three games.
With a goal right before halftime, Virginia came out strong to start the second half. But key clearances from defender Courtney Deena and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week Grace Balsdon kept the Terps tied.
And a counter attack with about 25 minutes gave the Terps the luxury of playing with the lead.
Midfielder Madison Maguire scored for Maryland, putting the Terps up 2-1. Rissinger, running the length of the field, found space on the left side of the shooting zone following a give-and-go. Rissinger sent a shot across the goal mouth, Maguire deflected the ball into the net for her fourth goal of the season.
“That play just shows how good we can play when we do our first-look passing,” Rissinger said. “That’s what we’ve been focusing on a lot this week in practice: if you see someone open just pass it. That’s kind of what we did on that. It was back and forth across the field, all the way down, and I think it was good that everyone continued to join the play, and that’s why [Maguire] was right there to put it in.”
Bates again bailed out the Terps defense with about 15 minutes remaining. Tata found space on the left side of the shooting zone, but Bates’ high glove save denied the pressing Cavaliers. The deflection fell again to Tata, but pressure from defender Carrie Hanks forced Tata’s second shot wide.
Virginia outshot the Terps, 19-6, but only scored once on Bates.
“I do well under pressure,” Bates said. “It helps me stay focused. So, when it’s below the 25 the whole time, it helps with staying focused so I’m always ready. When I don’t see shots, that’s when I tend to not be as focused.”
Maryland, which has already clinched a share of the Big Ten title, closes out the regular season with a home contest against Rutgers on Saturday.
