September 15, 1998

COLLEGE PARK, MD--After playing just once last week, the Terps (3-1) have a full slate of games this week. On Wednesday, Maryland plays its second home game of the season at 7:30 p.m. against Towson (2-1) at the Astro Turf Facility. This coming weekend, they host the third annual Terrapin Invitational. On Saturday, the Terps will take on American (2-2) at noon and Massachusetts faces Georgetown at 2:30 p.m. The consolation game of the tournament is on Sunday at 11 a.m. and the championship game starts at 1 p.m. Maryland won the inaugural Terrapin Invitational in 1996 by upsetting then-No. 3 ranked Iowa 2-1 in the championship game. They repeated as champions last season by defeating American 4-1 in the finals.

MEHARG CLOSING IN ON ALL-TIME MARYLAND COACHING RECORD
Heading into this week, Maryland head coach Missy Meharg has compiled a record of 151-62-9 (.704). Should the Terps win all three games this week, Meharg would pass former Maryland coach Sue Tylers school record of 153 coaching victories. Tyler had a record of 153-86-7 during her 14-year career at Maryland (1974-87). During her 10-year career at Maryland, Meharg has led the Terps to the 1993 NCAA title, the 1992 ACC title, the 1995 NCAA finals and the 1991 NCAA semifinals. In addition, Meharg was named the NCAA Coach of the Year in 1991 and 1993 and was named the ACC Coach of the Year in 1992 and 1995.

TERPS AGAINST TOWSON
Towson comes into its game against Maryland with a 2-1 record. This past Sunday, however, the Tigers dropped their first game of the season, 5-0, to then-No. 20 Iowa. Sophomore midfielder Laura Kimon leads Towson with three goals in three games while junior back Casey Jiampetti has scored twice in three games. Maryland leads the all-time series vs. Towson 21-0-2. The Terps won last years meeting 4-0 on Sept. 10 behind two goals from Carla Tagliente (Cortland, N.Y.). The last tie between the two schools was a 0-0 deadlock on Oct. 25, 1977.

TERPS AGAINST AMERICAN
No. 16 American enters the week with a 2-2 record after being edged by then-No. 2 Old Dominion 3-1 on Sunday. Jonnie Lees scored the lone goal for the Eagles in that contest. The Eagles received their highest preseason ranking ever when they were tabbed No. 12 in the NFHCA poll. Maryland leads the all-time series vs. American 21-0-0. The Terps won last years meeting 4-1 on Sept. 21.

TERPS AGAINST UMASS
Massachusetts enters the week with a 2-3 record, but its coming off of a 4-3 upset of then-No. 9 James Madison on Sunday. Freshman back Anke Bruemmer scored her first two collegiate goals in the victory. The Minutewomen began the 1998 season tied for the No. 16 ranking in the NFHCA poll. Maryland leads the all-time series against UMass 3-0-0. The Terps won the last meeting between the two schools, 4-0, on Sept. 8, 1995.

TERPS AGAINST GEORGETOWN
Georgetown enters the week with a 1-2 record after falling 3-0 to then-No. 3 Princeton on Saturday. The Hoyas opened the season with a 4-2 win over St. Josephs on Sept. 3 as sophomore forward Sarah Oglesby scored a goal and tallied an assist. Maryland leads the all-time series vs. Georgetown 15-0-0. The Terps won last years meeting 10-0 on Sept. 20 behind three goals by Carla Tagliente (Cortland, N.Y.) and two goals by Keli Smith (Selinsgrove, Pa.).

RUTGERS UPENDS TERPS 4-3
In their only game last week, the Terps jumped out to a 2-0 lead against Rutgers on Sunday behind goals from freshman forward Dina Rizzo (Walpole, Mass.) and senior back Jen Pratt (Greene, N.Y.). The host Knights, however, rallied for three goals in a span of 4:52 in the second half to pull off the upset. Sophomore midfielder Carla Tagliente (Cortland, N.Y.) scored with 2:11 remaining to trim the Rutgers lead to 4-3, but it was not enough as Maryland suffered its first loss of the season.

ON A TEAR
Sophomore midfielder Carla Tagliente (Cortland, N.Y.) has scored a goal in all four of the Terps games this season and currently leads the team with 10 points (four goals, two assists). Through the first week of the season, she led the ACC in total points and was tied for the conference lead in goals. Taglientes most productive game of the season came against Richmond on Sept. 2 as she scored a goal and recorded two assists in the Terps 8-0 opening-night win. Against then-No. 11 Michigan on Sept. 5, she scored the game-winning goal on a penalty stroke as Maryland triumphed 2-1 in double-overtime. For her career at Maryland, Tagliente has scored 23 goals and tallied seven assists in just 26 games. She is averaging 0.885 goals per game since coming to Maryland. Last season, Tagliente was the ACC Rookie of the Year and a third team All-America selection.

SENIOR LEADERSHIP
Senior back Jen Pratt (Greene, N.Y.) has scored twice and tallied two assists in the Terps past two games. Against Michigan State on Sept. 7 she had a goal and an assist and against Rutgers this past Sunday, she also recorded a goal and an assist. Both times, Pratt has led the Terps in points. Pratt is currently tied for second on the team with three goals and eight points. Pratt is a two-time All-America selection. In 1996 she was named to the All-America third team and last season, she was named to the second team. Last season, Pratt was also named to the All-ACC team for the first time in her career and led all NCAA players with 33 assists.

AN EMERGING FORCE
Before this season, senior forward Kasey Heiser (Schaefferstown, Pa.) was primarily a reserve player. In her final collegiate season, however, she has moved into the starting lineup and has made the most of her opportunity. Through four games, Heiser is tied for third on the team in both goals (two) and assists (two). Heiser led the Terps with two goals and an assist in their 8-0 opening-night win over Richmond on Sept. 2. She also recorded an assist in Sundays game against Rutgers. Heiser is a three-time Academic All-American and has been named to the ACC Honor Roll three consecutive years.

COMING INTO HER OWN
After playing mainly as a reserve last season, sophomore back Molly Kauffman (West Lawn, Pa.) has moved into the starting lineup this season and has produced both offensively and defensively. Against Richmond on Sept. 2, Kauffman had a goal and two assists. She added a goal and an assist against Michigan State on Sept. 7. In the Terps 2-1 double overtime win over then-No. 11 Michigan on Sept. 5, Kauffman recorded two defensive saves. Against Rutgers this past Sunday, she recorded an assist and a defensive save. Currently, Kauffman is tied for second on the team with eight total points, is ranked second in assists (four), tied for third in goals (two) and leads the team with three defensive saves.

MAKING AN IMPACT
Freshman forward Dina Rizzo (Walpole, Mass) has scored a goal in each of the Terps last two games. She recorded her first collegiate goal against Michigan State on Sept. 7 and scored the first goal of the game against Rutgers this past Sunday. Rizzo is currently tied for third on the team with two goals this season.

MAKING THE ASSISTS
In her first two weeks at Maryland, freshman midfielder Caroline Walter (Reilingen, Germany) has wasted no time making an impact on the team. She currently leads the team with five assists through four games. Against Richmond on Sept. 2, Walter assisted on three goals. She added two more assists against Michigan State on Sept. 7.

OVERSEAS ADDITIONS
Walter is one of three international players who are in their first year at Maryland. Prior to Maryland, she was a member of the German Under-21 team this past summer and was on the German Under-18 team in 1997. Sophomore goalie Angela Platt (Coleraine, Northern Ireland) has started all four games for the Terps this season and has a .824 save percentage. Before arriving at Maryland, Platt was a member of the Irish Under-21 team the past two years. Sophomore back Rachel Hiskins (Victoria, Australia) has bolstered the Terps defense this season and recorded a defensive save in the season opening win over Richmond. Hiskins was a member of the Victoria state Under-21 team last year.