Fleur Knopert dropped her stick to gently deflect a penalty corner shot against Richmond. The forward’s clever move proved successful as the ball popped into the net, giving No. 7 Maryland field hockey a 1-0 lead.

The first quarter score paced the Terps in their 3-0 victory against the Spiders on Sunday. It was Knopert’s third game-winning goal of the year.

The first year Terp has learned to adapt as a Dutch native and Ball State transfer.

“Whenever young people from other countries or other environments come into a new setting, at two and a half months, all of a sudden they trust the character … They just spiritually fit in and can open up,” coach Missy Meharg said. “I think Fleur is hitting her peak right now with the team.”

Nine freshmen and transfers joined the Terps this past offseason, which gave them more time to acclimate themselves to the team. But Knopert didn’t have that luxury.

The junior transferred to Maryland early in the summer, which expedited her adjustment period. Knopert still made a swift impact.

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Her first score of the season was a game winner in Maryland’s second match of the season against Drexel. In the third quarter of that contest, Knopert gathered a pass on the right side before dribbling toward the center of the field. A narrow shooting lane opened up and the forward took advantage.

Knopert waxed a backhanded shot across the face of the goal. The attempt whistled past Drexel’s goalkeeper and nestled into the bottom right corner of the cage.

Knopert said she noticed an immediate difference in the pace of play between Maryland and Ball State.

“At Ball State, everything is more, almost relaxed. It’s like, okay, you pass the ball, then you have a lot of time to just look around,” Knopert said. “The game here is so much faster. Once you receive the ball, you actually need to pre-scan in order to be successful after reception.”

Knopert was a prolific scorer with the Cardinals. She totaled a team leading 22 goals during her two years and was a two time First Team All-Mid-American Conference selection.

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The forward has floated between the starting lineup and bench with Maryland, but her efficiency has remained consistent. Knopert is tied for the third most goals on the team, a mark she’s achieved in limited minutes this season.

Knopert, along with the other newcomers, has adapted to the pressure of playing at a powerhouse program such as Maryland. Teammate and fellow transfer Alina Gerke said Knopert has helped the team manage that stress with her lively nature.

“Both of us love to play this intense, good, competitive hockey. But obviously you need to take everything with some fun,” Gerke said. “I feel like Fleur brings a lot of that fun with her.”
Knopert only had one opportunity to play postseason field hockey while at Ball State. It was a 2-0 loss to Miami in the opening round of the 2022 MAC tournament.

Now with Maryland, Knopert has an opportunity to play in significant and competitive games deep into November.