Maryland women’s field hockey freshman Annemijn Klijnhout miscontrolled a pass early in the second half against No. 12 Iowa Sunday.

An undeterred Klijnhout pushed forward as her teammates quickly regained possession. They cycled the ball back to her and she calmly scored from close range to give then No. 5 Maryland a 2-0 lead.

Fellow freshman Ella Gaitan added another via a penalty corner just over six minutes later. The goal was Gaitan’s second of the afternoon — a brace that virtually sealed Maryland’s 5-0 win.

Sunday’s success was the Terps’ largest conference victory in over two years. Klijnhout and Gaitan, two of Maryland’s largest freshman contributors, inspired the rout.

“We need them on the field, and we need them to help us contribute and help us win games,” defender Josie Hollamon said.

Eight Terps have started all 10 games so far this year, Klijnhout and Gaitan are the only freshmen in that group. The latter has drawn comparisons to two of her teammates.

Current senior Hope Rose and now-sophomore Maci Bradford both played impactful roles along Maryland’s forward line in their freshman seasons.

Rose and Bradford each tallied 10 goals in their freshman campaigns. The pair also notched nine game-winners from those 20 combined goals, highlighting the significance of their first-year outputs.

Gaitan’s tally has followed a similar pattern so far.

[Derik Queen sacrificed family for basketball. Maryland gives him both.]

Two of Gaitan’s three goals this season have been decisive scores, including her first against Iowa this past Sunday.

She stood just off-center of the shooting circle as Maryland played in an entry. The freshman dashed toward the far post as the ball was set for Rose on the near side.

Rose dribbled into the circle before lacing a backhanded shot that initially trailed wide. Gaitan was waiting at the back post in perfect position and scored.

Scoring has become habitual for Gaitan, who grabbed 80 goals during her final three high school seasons at New Jersey’s Blair Academy.

Gaitan has also gained high-pressure big-game experience away from Maryland. She’s compiled seven appearances as a part of the 2024 United States’ U-21 women’s national team, the same squad that also features Rose and Bradford.

The trio of teammates aren’t alone on the international stage either, Terps Hollamon, Rayne Wright, Alyssa Klebasko and Emma DeBerdine have all played for the U.S. national team at various levels. It’s also no coincidence that those four cemented their starting roles for Maryland as freshmen.

But Maryland’s international experience extends beyond the U.S. system. Klijnhout, who is from the Netherlands, has featured for multiple junior Dutch national teams.

[Originally self-trained, Rose Coats has found a team with Maryland cross country]

The skilled midfielder has been an integral piece for the Terps since arriving in College Park.

Klijnhout played 55 of the 78 minutes in Maryland’s season-opening double-overtime win against Louisville. She and Rose combined for the game-winning goal when the senior deflected a Klijnhout shot into the cage. Rose’s score gave Klijnhout her first career assist.

Being on the field in that situation was a testament to coach Missy Meharg’s trust in the freshman.

“She has great skills and understands the game, but that was a lot to call on her to play in the seven aside,” Meharg said after that game. “I just thought her whole day was just dominant.”

The stat sheet doesn’t capture Klijnhout’s contributions like it does Gaitan’s.

Playing deeper on the field means Klijnhout has fewer scoring opportunities. Instead, her immense versatility has allowed her to be present all over the field as a focal point of Maryland’s transition play.

“[It’s] nice to see them having such a big role so young,” Rose said. “Watching them grow in the next three, four years is going to be kind of crazy with just how well they’re doing now, and seeing how well they can do later.”