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Sept. 11, 2003

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -

GAME 5: Rutgers (3-2) vs. MARYLAND (4-0)*
Saturday, September 13, 2003 * 12 p.m.
Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex (1,000/Turf),
College Park, Md.

GAME 6: Pacific (1-2) vs. MARYLAND (4-0)*
Sunday, September 14, 2003 * 2 p.m.
Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex (1,000/Turf),
College Park, Md.
* records as of 9/10

TERRAPIN INVITATIONAL SCHEDULE
Friday, Sept. 12       American vs. Pacific, 6 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 13     Rutgers vs. Maryland 12 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 14       American vs. Rutgers, 12 p.m.
                       Pacific vs. Maryland, 2 p.m.

Terps open Home Schedule in New Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex
* The Maryland field hockey team makes its home debut in the brand new Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex. The premiere, state-of-the-art facility seasts 1,000 spectators and meets the highest field standards of the Federation of International Hockey.

* The Terps open the home schedule and a nine-game homestand with the Terrapin Invitational, Sept. 12-14. Maryland hosts American, Pacific and Rutgers for the Terrapin Invitational, Sept. 12-14. The Eagles and Tigers kick off the tournament on Friday, Sept. 12 at 6 p.m. Maryland opens the home slate on Saturday, Sept. 13 at 12 p.m. against Pacific. The Terps are 12-0 in six years of the Terrapin Invitational.

* In her brilliant 16 years where she has led the Terps to two national titles and five ACC crowns, Maryland head coach Missy Meharg has reached many milestones. This weekend, she could reach another. A 1985 graduate of Delaware, Meharg is just two wins from the 250-career win mark.

A Look At The Terps
* Head coach Missy Meharg is in her 16th season at the Maryland field hockey helm. Nearing the 250-win plateau, she boasts a 248-81-9 (.747) record over her 16 years as head coach. A 1985 graduate of Delaware, Meharg was named Mid-Atlantic Coach of the Year in 2002. During her tenure, Meharg has led the Terps to two national championship titles (1993 and 1999) and five Atlantic Coast Championship crowns. Maryland's all-time winningest coach, she has been named National Coach of the Year four times.

* Having scored at least a goal in the Terps' first four games of the season, freshman Paula Infante leads the team with six goals and 15 points. Juniors Anja Boettcher and Sara Silvetti, and sophomore Jackie Ciconte have tallied four goals each. All-American Lauren Powley, who did not record an assist all season last year, is the team's assist leader with five. Seven different Terps have notched at least a goal (five have scored at least three) as UM has gone on to outscore its opponents, 23-1.

* Maryland has been showering its opponents with goals, outscoring its opponents 23-1 and outshooting them 104-10.

* The Terps return 11 letterwinners from last year's 17-5 team that advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and reached the ACC Tournament finals. Seven starters return, including 2002 NFHCA second team All-American and 2001 ACC Rookie of the Year Colleen Barbieri. Barbieri is the team's top-returning scorer. Maryland also welcomes 10 newcomers to the squad who have made an immediate impact.

Terps' Last Time Out
* The Terrapins the grudge match against Old Dominion, topping the Lady Monarchs, 2-1, at Foreman Field in Norfolk, Va. Maryland was eliminated from the 2002 NCAA Tournament with a 4-1 setback at the hands of ODU. Freshman Paula Infante scored the eventual game winner and assisted junior Colleen Barbieri on the game's first goal. Sophomore goalkeeper Tori Cano had a standout game, registering four saves all in key situations to help the Terps post the triumph.

* Maryland dominated the first half, outshooting ODU 7-1 in the period and 10-5 for the game.

* The Lady Monarchs' goal in the second period was the first goal allowed by the Maryland defense all season.

* The win was UM's second all-time regular-season win at Foreman Field. The Terps only other regular-season victory at Foreman Field was a 1-0 decision in 1996.

A Look at the Scarlet Knights
* The Scarlet Knights are coached by Liz Tchou who has compiled a 79-69 career record over eight years and is in her first season at the Rutgers helm. She spent seven years with Duke prior to landing at Rutgers, guiding the Blue Devils to three NCAA Tournament appearances. A 1988 graduate of Iowa, she has had assistant coaching stints at several ACC schools, including Duke, North Carolina and Virginia.

* The Scarlet Knights are 3-2 heading into the weekend. Senior Jennifer Noon leads the team with three goals and six points. Four other players have tallied a goal. Senior Megan Cech has a team-high two assists. Senior goalie Meris Burton has played every minute in the cage for the Scarlet Knights, posting a 1.77 goals against average and 32 saves.

* Rutgers is coming off of a 1-0 loss to Fairfield. Goalkeeper Meris Burton made seven saves in the loss. RU's only other loss is a 5-0 setback to Delware. The Blue Hens face the Terps on Oct. 19.

* LAST MEETING: The Terps cruised to an easy 10-0 victory over the Scarlet Knights in 2001 in College Park. Colleen Barbieri and Emily Boyer each tallied a goal and goalkeeper Kerry Hearsey posted a save in the second 35 minutes of the contest.

A Look at the Tigers
* The Tigers are directed by sixth-year head coach Linda McDonald. A 1973 graduate of Springfield College, she has an overall record of 60-70-2 over eight seasons as head coach and a 23-61 record at Pacific. Before moving up to head coach, she was an 11-year assistant to former Pacific head coach Carla Konet. From 1984-87, McDonald was head coach of Bentley College in Massachusetts where she amassed a 37-9-2 record while leading the team to the Division III NCAA Final Four in 1986.

* The Tigers are 1-2 heading into a Sept. 11 game at Delaware. Vianney Campos, Megan Haas and Jenny Hogan have accounted for Pacific's three goals this season, with each tallying on apiece. In goal, senior Gina Sadler and freshman Kim Meyers have split time with each playing 105 minutes. Myers boasts a team-best 1.71 goals against average. All but two of the Tiger's players hail from California. Haas is a Hummelstown, Pa., native while Amy Hollenbach calls Penticton, Bristish Columbia, home.

* LAST MEETING: In the second game of the season, Maryland thumped Pacific, 8-0, in 2001 in Stanford, Calif. Sara Silvetti and Colleen Barbieri each netted goals and Kerry Hearsey made two saves in 35 minutes.

Series versus...
* RUTGERS: The Terps have dominated the series, leading 20-3-1 since 1978. The two teams met every year from 1981-2001, but have not met since. Maryland has won 14 of the last 15 meeting. RU's last win was in 1998.

* PACIFIC: Maryland has played the Tigers just once - a 8-0 thumping in UM's favor in Stanford, Calif., in 2001.

Meharg Approaching Milestone
* In her 16th season as head coach of the three-time national champion Maryland field hockey team, Missy Meharg is just three wins away from the 250-career wins mark. Carrying a record of 248-81-9 entering the 2003 season, she became the program's all-time winningest head coach, chalking up her 153rd career victory, on Sept. 20, 1998 with a 3-0 win vs. UMass.

In The ACC Stats
* Several Terps are ranked among the top 10 in the ACC statistical rankings. Freshman Paula Infante leads the league with 15 points and five goals. She is also 10th with 0.75 assists per game. Sophomore All-American Lauren Powley is second in the ACC with 1.25 assists per game and classmate Emily Boyer is tied for third with 1.25 apg.

* Redshirt-freshman Christina Restivo is tied for the league lead with a 0.00 goals against average, having logged just over 54 minutes in three games this season. Sophomore Tori Cano is tied for third with a miniscule 0.31 GAA in 222 minutes.

* As a team, Maryland is second in the conference with 15.25 points per game, 5.75 goals per game and 3.75 assists per game. Duke leads the ACC in each of those categories. The Terps sport the best goals against average (0.25) and are tied with the Blue Devils with the most shutouts (3).

Terps in Openers
* The Terrapins are 25-3-2 in season openers since program's first year in 1974. Maryland went unbeaten the first 15 years, going 13-0-2 before losing back-to-back openers in 1989 (at Virginia) and 1990 (at Old Dominion). UM has won the last seven opening games of the season.

* When opening the home slate, the Terps are 23-4-2 all-time, having won the last five home openers in a row.

Terp Attack
* The formidable attack from two years ago seems to be back. Maryland has outscored its opponents 23-1 in its first four games of the season. Last year, the Terps scored just 12 goals in the first four games and needed 10 games to score 23 (Sept. 27).

* Two years ago, the Terps were the top-ranked offense in the nation. Maryland ranked 14th at the end of last season.

Terps "D" Up
* Three of Maryland's four victories this season have come by virtue of shutout. The Terps have allowed just one goal so far this season while allowing just 10 shots and seven penalty corners. It's no wonder the Terrapin defense has been so hard to penetrate. Last year, UM was tied for fourth in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 1.10 goals per game.

* A tough Maryland defense has contributed to goalkeepers' Tori Cano and Christina Restivo non-existent goals against averages. A redshirt freshman, Restivo leads the ACC with an 0.00 GAA, while Cano is tied for third at 0.31.

Tough Schedule
* The Terps continually play on of the toughest schedules in the nation. This year's slate is no different as Maryland is scheduled to face seven teams ranked in this week's NFHCA Coaches Poll. The three top spots in the NFHCA Coaches Poll are occupied by ACC teams, including Maryland, and four of the top five feature conference teams. All five teams are among the top 20. Wake Forest is the top team in the country this week, followed by North Carolina and the Terps. Duke rates fifth and Virginia is 16th.

* Also among this week's top 20 are No. 6 Old Dominion, No. 7 Michigan and Princeton is tied for 10th. UM already defeated ODU on Sept. 6, 2-1. But the team's square off again on Oct. 18. The Wolverines come to College Park for a rematch of the 1999 and 2001 national championship games on Sept. 19. On Sept. 26, the Princeton Tigers battle the Terps.

Infante Earns Conference Honor
* Freshman defender Paula Infante was named Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Week for the opening week of the season on Sept. 1. The Santiago, Chile, native tallied three goals and two assists in the Terps' first two wins of the season. She also contributed to Maryland's defensive effort which allowed just three shots and one penalty corner combined over both games.

Terps Name Captains
* Juniors Sara Silvetti and Kristin Harris have been named captains for the 2003 season. Silvetti, a redshirt junior, is a back and has started every game for the Terps the last two seasons. Harris is a midfielder who has started all but one game the last two seasons and was named second team NFHCA Mid-Atlantic Region.

Up Next
* The Terps will not have too much time to rest as Drexel makes a visit to the Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex on Tuesday, Sept. 16. Maryland leads the all-time series, 2-0.