Family ties have long run through Maryland field hockey. Brooke and Emma DeBerdine, the Eyre sisters and Maya and Faith Everett have all cycled through the program in recent years.
But early this season, Josie and Jordyn Hollamon are making their own claim as an elite sister duo. For the second time this season – both recorded a goal in the same game – leading the Terps to a 3-1 victory over No. 16 Penn State on Friday at the Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex.
“I get a lot of emotions from [playing with my sister,” Josie Hollamon said. We grew up in the backyard playing together and to see [Jordyn] at the Division I level making stuff happen for us; she’s doing a great job.”
While the Hollamon sisters’ offensive performance was the main story, their defensive efforts were just as important in No. 10 Maryland’s (5-2, 1-0 Big Ten) win. Fueled by the Hollamon’s defense, the Terps allowed just three shots and needed just one save by goalkeeper Alyssa Klebasko.
“Our defense isn’t really letting anybody in the circle,” Josie Hollamon said. “This was a good game for us to get started in the Big Ten and hopefully keep winning games, and set the standard in the Big Ten for us and everybody else.”
Josie entered the year as the more established Hollamon sister, having won Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year last season. Jordyn was also heralded for her defense entering her freshman year.
But coach Missy Meharg cited Jordyn Hollamon’s offensive aggressiveness as a reason to play the forward position, while also spending time at midfield and defense.
She proved her coach right with a goal in the opening period to open up the scoring in the Terps’ conference opener.
“I watched [Jordyn] for a long time, and what I was always impressed with is her fortitude one on one,” Meharg said. “But I think the biggest thing is the way she swings on the ball. I knew once I got her in Maryand jersey I’d put her on the forward line.”
[Maryland field hockey hopes to bounce back after poor weekend against ranked teams]
One of the most intense rivalries in Big Ten field hockey, the Terps entered Friday’s matchup with a slim 9-8 edge in the all-time series against the Nittany Lions (4-2, 0-1 Big Ten). Maryland was riding a two-game win streak against Penn State and was aiming to secure its second-straight ranked win.
After dropping its season opener to No. 3 Virginia, the Nittany Lions went on a four-game winning streak and jumped to No. 16 in the national rankings. Two of those wins came in overtime — first against Delaware, then No. 15 Saint Joseph’s, whom the Terps narrowly defeated 1-0 last Sunday.
A victory was even more critical for Maryland considering its upcoming schedule. The Terps are slated to face No. 8 Michigan, No. 9 Princeton and No. 14 Ohio State in the next two weeks.
Meharg said the importance of Friday’s game heightened because of the rivalry between the two schools.
“Incredible rivalry in the mid-Atlantic region,” Meharg said Tuesday. “Before we moved to the Big Ten, Penn State and Maryland is always a matchup in every sport.”
Given Maryland’s tendency to play in tight contests this season, the Big Ten opener felt like it would be another close matchup. But the Terps controlled Friday’s game from the onset.
[Ella Gaitan’s last-minute goal lifts Maryland field hockey over Saint Joseph’s, 1-0]
Through their first six games, the Terps had difficulty starting strong and capitalizing on penalty corners. On Friday, they struck in the first frame, as Josie Hollamon converted a first-quarter penalty corner to take a 1-0 lead.
The goal came with just six seconds remaining but Maryland maintained control of the ball for most of the period. The Terps outshot the Nittany Lions 5-1 in the frame.
Josie’s sister, Jordyn, scored in the third quarter to give Maryland a crucial insurance goal. Junior Maci Bradford and Annemijn Klijnhout assisted on the goal.
Bradford leads the team with three assists and nine points, and her three goals are tied for the team lead. With her experience playing for the U-21 national team, she is the leader in the Terps’ young front line.
Maryland capped off its scoring with an impressive diving goal by Feliz Kuhne in the fourth. Penn State added a goal with just over two minutes left, but couldn’t salvage the Terps’ domination on the day — getting outshot 20-3 as Maryland cruised to its fifth win of the season.
