EVANSTON, Ill. - The top-seeded Maryland field hockey team (18-2) cruised past fourth-seeded Ohio State, 9-1, Friday in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals at Northwestern's Lakeside Field.
 
Junior All-Big Ten honoree Nike Lorenz notched a hat trick in the first 15 minutes, senior Sabrina Rhodes scored twice and four other Terrapins scored in the record-breaking rout. The Terps' nine goals set a new Big Ten Tournament record.
 
Maryland advanced to its fourth Big Ten Championship game in five years Sunday at 2 p.m. The Terrapins will play sixth-seeded Iowa (13-5) at Northwestern's Lakeside Field.
 
Lorenz opened the scoring for Maryland just 5:43 into the semifinal matchup. She brought the ball into the circle and scored through a wall of Ohio State defenders for the 1-0 lead.
 
Just over six minutes later, she buried a shot off a rebound on a penalty corner to make it a 2-0 lead. In the 16^th minute, Lorenz tapped in a shot past the Ohio State goalkeeper off another rebounded shot on a corner.
 
The Buckeyes got on the board when Katie Pyle scored in the 20^th minute.
 
Just under seven minutes before halftime, Rhodes added her first goal when she redirected Lorenz's shot from just inside the circle on the left side. The Terrapins led 4-1 at halftime.
 
Forty-five seconds into the second half, junior tri-captain Kelee Lepage buried a close range shot from the left side off a short pass from Rhodes. Lepage gave Maryland a 5-1 lead.
 
Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Bodil Keus got in on the scoring action when she banged in a shot off a penalty corner in the 41^st minute. Two minutes later, Rhodes added her second score of the day and the Terps' seventh goal when scored off the rebound.
 
Less than three minutes after that, in the 46^th minute of play, freshman Taylor Mason notched her first career goal off a penalty corner and made it an 8-1 Maryland lead.
 
Senior Melissa Wilken added the Terps' eighth and final goal in the 64^th minute.
 
Maryland outshot Ohio State, 22-11, and had 10 penalty corners to five for the Buckeyes.
 
Senior goalkeeper Sarah Holliday made four saves in the first half and junior goalkeeper Noelle Frost made two. Freshman goalie Skye Joegriner played the last three minutes in the net.
 
The Terps-Hawkeyes game Sunday will be televised around the world on the Big Ten Network. It will also be streamed live online through BTN Plus and can be seen on BTN2Go.com and the BTN2Go app. Fans can watch with their BTN Plus subscriptions. Fans outside the U.S. can watch here.
 
Live stats will also be available. Fans can also follow the Terps' Twitter feed for live updates here. Click here for the tournament central page.
 
Linnea Gonzales was named Big Ten Player of the Year, Keus was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Bibi Donraadt was voted Big Ten Freshman of the Year Wednesday. Keus and Gonzales made the All-Big Ten First Team, Lorenz made the All-Big Ten Second Team and Olivia Reiter was recognized with a Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
 
Gonzales and Lorenz are leading Maryland with 14 goals this season. Maryland has 10 scorers with multiple goals and 15 total Terps have found the goal line.
 
DEFLECTIONS… Maryland advances to its 29th conference tournament final...The Terps' nine goals are the most they have scored since Oct. 12, 2014 vs. Penn… Senior goalkeeper Sarah Holliday is No. 5 on Maryland field hockey's's all-time list with 246 career saves… Head coach Missy Meharg has led the Terps to a record of 561-137-9 (.800), seven NCAA titles, 24 conference titles and 17 Final Fours… Maryland is 10-3 in its five Big Ten Tournaments and has advanced to the Big Ten Tournament final four times in five years… Since joining the league in 2014, the Terps are 37-5 against their conference opponents… The Terps are 127-39-3 (.760) all-time against Big Ten opponents… Meharg is 110-19-1 (.850) vs. Big Ten opponents.