Maryland field hockey defender Bodil Keus stood in front of the cage in the 46th minute of the Terps’ 2-1 loss to No. 17 Princeton Tuesday with the Tigers defense behind her.
After the Terps’ newfound aggression in the second half helped them earn their first penalty stroke of the game, Keus deposited the ball into the upper-left corner of the net to get Maryland on the board for the first time. That was the extent of coach Missy Meharg’s offense Tuesday.
After scoring a combined seven times in two contests leading to Tuesday’s match, Maryland’s attack struggled to generate opportunities. When it did, the shots sailed wide, which prompted Meharg to emphasize shot selection entering Maryland’s game against No. 14 Northwestern on Sunday.
“All of us need to feel confident in those positions to shoot the ball, because we’re in those positions,” midfielder Brooke DeBerdine said. “We dominated the second half and were in the circle a lot. We just need to take it into our own hands to put the ball into the cage.”
Meharg wants her forwards to score more, and the fact they haven’t highlights the talent in Maryland’s midfield. Forward Olivia Reiter has taken four shots but hasn’t recorded a score. Sabrina Rhodes is 1-for-6. Linnea Gonzales is 3-for-26, and Julie Duncan is 2-for-7.
Perhaps a fraction of the challenge comes from Mayv Clune’s season-ending injury, as the freshman forward was the top prospect in the nation.
Nonetheless, Princeton’s speedy backline prevented Maryland aggression in its offensive zone. One of the Terps’ best chances to score came in the 50th minute, when forward Rhodes was isolated near the top of the circle. Her shot sailed wide-right and was one of seven the Terps took after intermission.
“It’s instincts, just going for it,” Meharg said. “We have a lot of young players who have scored goals throughout their careers. I’m waiting for it to fall. I think they are too. I don’t want to wait a lot longer.”
Meharg praised Gonzales and midfielder Lein Holsboer’s shot selections, notable because Holsboer’s position requires her to set up shots for her teammates more often than drive to the goal.
But Holsboer, who has scored a team-high five goals, has been an influential addition to the Terps’ attack. She scored twice in wins against Indiana and Bucknell and took a pair of shots against the Tigers.
“We really get opportunities when we get those quick touches on the ball,” Holsboer said. “We had a couple of great shots. Now, we have to figure out how to put it in the net.”
Maryland outshot Princeton, 14-12, but couldn’t capitalize on those chances or its five penalty corners. Meharg said the Terps’ lack of production shouldn’t be connected to their chemistry as they’ve played alongside each other for long enough.
Maryland’s forwards, who practice shot selection with the rest of the team, watched as Keus scored the Terps’ lone goal. Now, Meharg wants them more involved.
“We had opportunities in there,” Meharg said. “People [are] wanting to shoot and be big time goal scorers.”
