Terps Take On Princeton In Final Four
11/17/2009 7:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Nov. 17, 2009
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COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The top-seeded Maryland field hockey team will head to Winston Salem, N.C. later this week to compete in the Final Four as one of the last teams still standing in the NCAA Tournament. The 22-0 Terrapins will take on No. 4 Princeton Friday at 2 p.m. at Kentner Stadium on the campus of Wake Forest University.
This weekend marks the Terps' second straight trip to the semifinals and 13th overall. They boast an 8-4 all-time record in the NCAA semifinals round. The Maryland field hockey team is looking for the program's seventh national title overall and fourth in five years.
To head into the semifinals round, Maryland knocked off American 6-1 Saturday, led by two goals apiece from junior Katie O'Donnell and senior Emma Thomas, the ACC's Defensive Player of the Year. O'Donnell, the ACC's Offensive Player of the Year for the third straight season, also notched three assists in the victory, which makes her tied at both the ACC and Maryland career assists record with 71.
In the second round, the Terps faced off against 10th-ranked Drexel Sunday afternoon and controlled the game on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. The Dragons were held without a shot for the entire first half and Maryland outshot Drexel 33-3 for the game. Led by senior Nicole Muracco's two goals, the Terrapins rolled to a 5-0 win. With her first goal of the game, Muracco claimed Maryland's single-season goals record.
Head coach Missy Meharg helped lead the Terrapins to their best start in school history, 22-0. Under Meharg, Maryland has an NCAA Tournament record of 36-14 with a winning percentage of .720.
The Terrapins won their matchup against Princeton earlier this year. Set Oct. 7 in College Park, Maryland trailed 1-0 early on in the game. The Terps quickly tied the score at 1-1 when freshman Megan Frazer scored off of a penalty corner. Princeton scored once more before the half and for the first time on the year, the Terps trailed 2-1 at the half. O'Donnell struck first in the half to tie the score at 2-2, but the two teams continued to battle their way into overtime. Seven minutes into the 15 minute overtime period, Muracco, Maryland's all-time career goal leader, scored to seal the win.
ACC rivals North Carolina and Virginia will face off against each other Friday at 4:30 in the second semifinal game. Maryland's game will be broadcast live on WMUCSports.com.
