Maryland Field Hockey's Meharg Begins 20th Season this Weekend
8/24/2007 8:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Aug. 24, 2007
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The top-ranked Maryland field hockey team opens the 2007 campaign this weekend, traveling to Evanston, Ill., to play two games. The season, which marks head coach Missy Meharg's 20th at the Terrapin helm, begins with a clash against Central Michigan on Sunday, Aug. 26. The two-time NCAA Champion Terps wrap up the trip with a contest against host-Northwestern on Monday, Aug. 27.
Maryland, who opens the season as the No. 1 team in the nation according to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Top 20 poll, and the Chippewas play for the first time ever this weekend. CMU was picked to finish third in the Mid-American Conference and return the conference's Freshman of the Year in Kim Erasmus and two-time All-MAC recipient Samantha Sandham.
It will be the third-consecutive year Maryland has faced Northwestern and sixth time in seven years. The Terps lead the all-time series, 9-4, and has not lost to the Wildcats since 1988, winning the last nine meetings. The `Cats bring back six seniors from last season's squad and welcome seven freshmen.
The Terps are ready to get the season started after two weeks of preseason camp. Head coach Missy Meharg embarks on her 20th year on the bench, boasting a 327-95-9 career record all in College Park. She welcomes back 13 letterwinners from last year's national championship team that went 23-2, as well as, eight starters. Six newcomers also join the team this season.
After its two games in Evanston, Ill, Maryland plays the first of a home-and-home series with sixth-ranked Old Dominion on Friday, Aug. 31 in Norfolk, Va. The Terps have won four of the last five meetings, including the last three. Last season, they swept the series, winning both games by identical scores of 1-0. The home season opens on Sunday, Sept. 2 against 12th-ranked Michigan.
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