No. 5 Maryland field hockey’s win over Lock Haven on Sunday started unfavorably as the Bald Eagles scored just over a minute into the game.
While the Terps thwarted an upset with a second-half scoring barrage, a pair of first quarter goals helped them regain control of the match. Both scores relied on the same strategy — attacking down the flanks to force Lock Haven’s goalkeeper out of position.
“Really we just needed to shift her because she was coming out so far,” coach Missy Meharg said.
Maryland executed Meharg’s strategy perfectly to create its first goal of the afternoon.
Senior midfielder Hope Rose sparked an attack and collected a pass along the left sideline, darting past a Bald Eagles defender.
Fleur Knopert waited near the baseline as Rose drove forward and cut inside. Knopert, still standing along the endline, moved into the shooting circle to snag Rose’s pass.
[No. 5 Maryland field hockey cruises past Lock Haven with 8-1 dominating win]
The junior forward remained composed as shot-stopper Kelsey Felix rushed out of her net for pressure — Knopert took a single touch in the circle and slid a cross in front of the cage to connect with senior Kylee Niswonger.
Niswonger then drifted into the open space in front of the uncovered cage and used the ample space to finish effortlessly. The midfielder tapped in the equalizer less than a minute after Maryland conceded the opener.
“It is really nice to see that we can just throw a ball in and someone’s going to be there and have a ton of grit and heart and get a touch on it,” Niswonger said.
The Terps scored their go-ahead goal just about three minutes after overloading the right sideline.
Freshman midfielder Annemijn Klijnhout zipped a cross-field pass to Carly Hynd as a cohort of Lock Haven defenders tried to lock down the ball. When the pass reached Hynd at the 23-meter line, Felix was the only person blocking the forward’s attack on the cage.
[Late-game score propels No. 3 Virginia to 1-0 win over No. 5 Maryland field hockey]
The senior chased the ball as it rolled down the left flank after she fumbled the initial touch, once again drawing Felix away from her net. Hynd floated a shot over the keeper once she recognized the open goal and snuck a look under the crossbar for the goal giving the Terps a lead they didn’t relinquish.
“I think today we’ve gained the confidence back to remember that we can score and hopefully just bring that into the next games,” junior defender Ericka Morris-Adams said.
Maryland’s offense operated in crowded shooting in its first five games, resulting in just six goals out of 51 shots — a lowly 11.8 shot percentage.
Attacking down the flanks forced Lock Haven’s defense to scramble and Felix away from her goal. The Terps’ attackers had more space to work with, totaling a season-high eight goals in their most complete offensive performance of the year.
Maryland’s attack is still gelling. Finding a consistent scoring formula as the Terps did on Sunday will help them develop an offensive rhythm as Big Ten play approaches.
