Box Score COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Led by the strongest offense in the country, the Maryland field hockey team cruised past Princeton, 5-1, Saturday in the NCAA Tournament First Round at the Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex.
Four Terps scored in the win and senior Steffi Schneid scored twice. Redshirt senior goalkeeper Brooke Cabrera picked up five saves to help the Terrapins advance.
Maryland (19-3) will play Albany (19-2) Sunday at 2 p.m. in the NCAA Quarterfinals in College Park. The Great Danes beat Wake Forest, 2-1, Saturday in the First Round.
Senior Welma Luus put the Terrapins on the board 12 minutes in when she carried it into the circle and cracked a backhanded shot.
Freshman Moira Putsch made it a two-goal lead for the Terps with just over five minutes left in the first half when she worked it around the Princeton goalkeeper and scored into the bottom right corner of the cage.
The Terrapins were awarded a penalty corner at the end of the first half. Junior Sarah Sprink gave the Terps a 3-0 lead at the break when she scored off the corner inserted by junior Anna Dessoye.
Twelve minutes into the second half, Schneid scored her first goal off a penalty corner set up by senior Katie Gerzabek and Putsch. Schneid added her second goal off another corner in the 60th minute. Gerzabek and Dessoye picked up assists.
Princeton (8-11) got on the board with three seconds to play with a goal by Allison Evans.
Maryland outshot Princeton, 17-14 and had nine penalty corners to eight.
Tickets to the NCAA Second Round will be $5 for adults and $3 for students, children and seniors. To purchase in advance, log on to umterps.com or call 1-800-IM-A-TERP. Parking will be free and open for Sunday's NCAA Second Round game.
This marks Maryland's 27th NCAA Tourmament appearance and 20th straight, starting in 1995.The Terrapins have started the NCAA Tourmament at home at the Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex in 10 of the last 11 years, dating back to 2003. The Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex has been home to 22 of Maryland's NCAA Tourmament games over the years and the Terps are 22-1 in those games.
The Terrapins will look to advance to their seventh straight NCAA Final Four and 17th under head coach Missy Meharg. Maryland will be hosting the NCAA Semifinals on Friday, Nov. 21 at 2 and 4:45 p.m., as well as the NCAA Championship game on Sunday, Nov. 23.
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