Sept. 13, 2011

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GREENSBORO, N.C. - Sophomore Jill Witmer of No. 3 Maryland field hockey (5-1) was named the Atlantic Coast Conference's Co-Field Hockey Player of the Week the league announced Tuesday. This is the first weekly honor for Witmer this season and third in her career.

Witmer scored both game-winning goals in the Terps' wins over weekend and notched her first career hat trick Sunday in the Terrapins' 6-3 win over Villanova in College Park.

In Sunday's game vs. Villanova, Witmer put Maryland on the board in the 19th minute to tie the game at one. Junior Megan Frazer found her inside the circle for a one-on-one with the Wildcats' goalkeeper.

With the game tied at two, Witmer gave Maryland a one-goal lead when she scored less than four minutes into the second half when she tipped in a loose ball off of a penalty corner. She added the Terps' sixth goal in the 52nd minute when she deflected in senior Jemma Buckley's shot off of another penalty corner.

Against Northwestern, she put Maryland on the board in the seventh minute when she finished off the pass from junior Nikki Fernandez.

Witmer and the Terps will open ACC play this weekend when they head north to take on No. 8 Boston College (5-1) Friday at 6 p.m. in Newton, Mass. at the Field Hockey Field at the Newton Sports Complex. Boston College's Jacqui Moorfield is the other Co-ACC Player of the Week.

Continuing its road trip, Maryland will play at Massachusetts (1-3) Sunday at noon at Richard F. Garber Field. The Terrapins beat the Minutewomen 4-2 last November in the NCAA First Round en route to their seventh NCAA title and sixth under head coach Missy Meharg.