Like the first two games of the season, defensive identity was a theme for Maryland field hockey.
In Friday’s top-10 matchup between No. 4 Maryland and No. 8 Boston College, both teams struggled to find a consistent offensive attack. Despite the Terps earning better scoring opportunities, the Eagles capitalized on two late goals to beat Maryland 2-0 in the first matchup of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge at Williams Field.
Boston College scored in the third quarter to take the lead, then iced the game in the fourth quarter with a penalty stroke score. Its defense, which entered Friday as one of the best in the country, shut Maryland (2-1) out for the first time this season.
In the Terps’ previous two games, their defense was the key to their offense. They used their backline and midfield speed to outmatch opponents. But Boston College (3-0) was a different caliber of team.
The Eagles’ aggressive style worked well against Maryland, Terps coach Missy Meharg said. The two former conference foes played an evenly matched game for most of Friday, but Boston College was able to capitalize on its chances.
[Strong defense could fuel Maryland field hockey’s push through 2025]
Maryland’s offense had more opportunities, earning ten penalty corners compared to the Eagles’ two, while both teams took eight shots. Forward Jordyn Hollamon attempted all three first-half shot attempts, including two shots on goal. The freshman was unable to connect on any of the opportunities, leaving the game tied at 0 entering the half.
“We work on penalty scores a lot,” Meharg said. “We have to be more detailed with it. The girls will do that. They need to pay attention to the game plan.”
Despite pitching a first-half shutout, Boston College made a significant change at the break. The Eagles inserted Carine Van Wiechen at goalie in place of Charlotte Kramer. The two have each played in two games and entered Friday having allowed one combined goal on the season.
The change continued to stifle the Terps’ attack as they continued to struggle to dissect the Eagles defense. The change seemed to fuel the Eagles’ attack. They played at a much quicker pace and were noticeably different — getting ahead of Maryland’s defense several times in the second half.
This proved costly for the Terps as sloppy play at midfield created a golden opportunity for the Eagles. Halfway through the third period, Boston College’s midfield stole the Terps’ dribble in stride, leading to a race up the left sideline.
[Maryland field hockey dominates Villanova, 4-0, to close Conference Cup]
With nobody but the goalie ahead, the Eagles made a quick pass to the middle. Despite not attempting a shot for nearly 20 minutes of gametime, sophomore Melea Weber’s shot rolled past the outstretched leg of Alyssa Klebasko for the score.
Quick substitutions did not solve the Terps’ problems for the remainder of the third, and they entered the final period scoreless. The Eagles controlled the ball for a majority of the fourth quarter’s opening minutes.
Maryland’s defense finally broke down, leading to a penalty stroke opportunity. Eagles freshman forward Carolina Chisolm slid the ball into the right corner of the net to extend the lead to a final 2-0 win.
The Terps defense domination has been a major storyline through the first few games of the season, but their offense has struggled at points. Friday was a revealing contest; Maryland’s attacking unit needs to improve before Big Ten play.
It won’t have much time to reset, as the Terps will take on rival No. 5 Duke on Sunday.
“It’s the second weekend of the season, and we’ll clean up some of those mishaps, with a couple of tactical errors,” Meharg said. We’ll be ready to go on Sunday.
