Maryland field hockey takes pride in playing defense.
Coach Missy Meharg said 99 percent of being a successful team is goaltending and defensive ability, and if you have a strong and fast midfield and defenders, you will be successful.
Through two games, the Terps displayed that — preventing their opponents from creating consistent attacking opportunities, sparked by their midfielders and backline — allowing just one goal in the first two games.
In its Sunday matchup against Villanova, Maryland earned a 4-0 shutout win and dominated time of possession. Junior goalkeeper Alyssa Klebasko had just two saves, as the Wildcats attempted only eight shots on the afternoon.
In the first game against Stanford, the defense allowed one goal — a rare hiccup through its first pair of games.
The Terps’ emphasis on their defense starts with Meharg, who identifies Klebasko and 2024 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year defender Josie Hollamon, as the “king and queen” of the Terps’ defense.
“I like chess, so I reference them in my head as the king and queen simply because the king can’t move more than one space, and the queen does all the defense,” Meharg said.
[Maryland field hockey dominates Villanova, 4-0, to close Conference Cup]
“They’re super good friends. They both play internationally, so it’s a powerhouse combination.”
That chemistry has trickled down to the rest of the Terps’ backline. Klebasko has faced little pressure so far, needing six saves as the Terps’ defense has smothered opponents’ attacks. They’ve allowed just 7.5 shots per game compared to putting up 20 of their own and earned nearly four times the penalty corner opportunities than their competition.
Klebasko’s communication from her vantage point in goal is key to building team cohesion and keeping the Terps aligned defensively.
“Her [Klebasko’s] knowledge is amazing,” senior defender Ericka Morris-Adams said. “She knows what the forwards have to be doing as the goalkeeper, which is a big strength of hers, and she organizes us really well.”
Maryland’s defensive strength doesn’t stop with its “king and queen.” The Terps’ backline benefits from steady play across their unit, from the depth of midfielders and veteran defenders stepping up.
[Maryland field hockey stifles Stanford, wins season-opener 3-1]
Morris-Adams, who is in her third season playing the backline with Hollamon, provides further continuity within the unit.
“Ericka Morris-Adams has been a starter since her freshman year in the backfield,” Meharg said. “We have a lot of experience returning that have [played] a lot of competitive minutes.”
With several midfielders gone from last year, the Terps rebuilt the unit by adding new players — three starters in the first two games are newcomers to College Park.
Sophomore Callie Rogers jumped right into the starting lineup after missing last season due to injury. Freshman Maia Adamson and lone transfer Ella Fehr from Virginia Commonwealth University have also been added.
Meharg said the Terps’ blend of young and veteran players gives her the flexibility to try different lineups and keep fresh bodies on the field. She added that despite last year’s “talented” team, many players played too many minutes, resulting in injury.
“My staff and I got together, and we said, ‘Look, we are going to recruit at least 10 players to come in here that we know can contribute,” Meharg said. “We can have 16 players that are ready to compete, so that we can give everybody the minutes off the field they need: mentally, spiritually, physically. They need rest.”
