Hannah Leubecker caught a pass at the top of the shooting space. She stutter-stepped and cut to her right, creating just enough space to fire low on Drexel goalie Jenika Cuocco.
The attacker’s shot dribbled between Cuocco’s legs and rolled over the goal line to mark the first goal scored at the newly renovated Maryland Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex.
The tally came just over three minutes into the game and kickstarted a six-goal first quarter for No. 5 Maryland women’s lacrosse. Coach Cathy Reese’s team, in its home opener, defeated Drexel, 14-7.
The Terps are now 3-0 against the Dragons, with each win coming in the last calendar year.
Leubecker added another goal while Eloise Clevenger, Shannon Smith and Maggie Weisman each scored — all before Drexel put a shot on frame. Clevenger and Weismans’ goals were their first of the year.
“We’ve had a lot of time to build chemistry over the years. We’ve been here for five years and we have a lot of returners,” Victoria Hensh said. “We know how to play for each other and as a team and we all trust each other a lot.”
[Maryland women’s lacrosse finally has a home fit for its legendary pedigree]
The Terps’ defense conceded just one goal in the first 15 minutes and held the Dragons to two shots. Maryland (3-0) forced three turnovers and won three ground balls in the commanding opening period.
The stifling defensive performance continued into the second quarter.
Drexel (2-2) managed six shots on goal but Maryland goalie Emily Sterling saved all but two of those attempts. The Terps forced two shot clock violations.
The Terps’ blistering attack cooled after the opening blitz. Jaylen Rosga and Hensh netted Maryland’s only second-quarter goals. Rosga’s score was the Terps’ first free-position shot scored this season.
The pair contributed to a balanced attack — Maryland had six different goal-scorers at the half.
“We weren’t just relying on one person to carry our offense,” Reese said. “It was coming from anyone at any given time on the field, and that’s what’s going to make us better as we go through the season.”
Libby May and Drexel’s Alex Wall traded goals to start the third quarter before Eloise Clevenger secured her hat trick.
Maisy Clevenger, her sister, twirled her stick behind the goal line and fired a pass to Eloise Clevenger. The senior rushed toward the goal and scored with a high shot to the goalie’s left.
[Emily Sterling proved her All-American status in Maryland lacrosse’s win over Syracuse]
Kate Sites scored her first goal of the season for Maryland’s only score of the final frame. The Terps managed six shots in the fourth quarter, their lowest amount in any frame.
Maryland’s dominance can be attributed to its sheer number of offensive possessions. Midfielder Shaylan Ahearn led all players with nine draw controls and the Terps had 18 draw controls to the Dragons’ five. That helped Reese’s team take a whopping 41 shots, 20 more than Drexel.
But, the Terps did not convert on most of those attempts and their shooting percentage remains a concern. Maryland wanted to score on over 50 percent of its shots this season but fell well short against the Dragons, shooting just 34.1 percent.
The Terps have yet to eclipse 50 percent shooting in any of their outings.
“We just didn’t shoot particularly well tonight,” Reese said. “I just felt like we didn’t take the extra second. Either we weren’t choosing the right shots or [Cuocco] was coming up with them.”
But despite those poor numbers, the seven-goal victory will be remembered as the first win at Maryland’s new home — a christening emblematic of the program’s dominance.
“Oh my gosh, it’s awesome,” Hensh said of the new complex. “We’ve watched games as kids and so it’s like, growing up and seeing this place and then being able to actually play here is truly just living the dream.”
