COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The fourth-ranked Maryland field hockey team used a second quarter surge to shut out No. 3 Connecticut, 2-0, Sunday afternoon at the Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex.
 
The Terrapins (11-1) scored both of their goals in the second period en route to their eighth straight victory, fifth straight over a top 25 team. They halted Connecticut's six-game win streak. This was the first time the Huskies were shut out this season.
 
"I love the team, the energy, the staff," head coach Missy Meharg said. "We believe that we can play. I think what I am most impressed with is over the past weekend we played at home and then flew over to Chicago and got a win there in double overtime. I am super pleased with their resilience, their coaching ability, staff and training.
 
"I think [it's great] any time you are able to shut out a program like that with the players on that field like they have. They have forwards and attack seven just like we do, so it's a great testament for Noelle [Frost] and to make that save looked soft but it was more than accurate. It was a nice outcome. I love shutouts."
 
The Huskies (10-2) came out strong, earning two penalty corners in the first three minutes of the match. The Terrapins' defense got stops on both.
 
Maryland got on the board when sophomore Linda Cobano, the current Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, deflected in a shot from just inside the circle off the UConn goalkeeper with 13:48 left in the second quarter. Cobano is the Terps' leading scorer with seven goals. She has scored in three of the last four games.
 
Just over 10 minutes later, senior Madison Maguire doubled Maryland's lead when she got her stick on a hard shot by sophomore Riley Donnelly from a few yards out. Maryland led 2-0 at half.
 
The Terrapins did not allow the Huskies a shot in the third quarter.
 
UConn gained some momentum in the fourth quarter, taking three shots. The Huskies were awarded a penalty shot with 8:20 to play. Senior Svea Boker stepped up to take the shot for UConn, but senior goalkeeper Noelle Frost dove to her left to stop the shot and preserve her fourth shutout of the year.
 
Maryland had two penalty corners to three for UConn, but took 12 shots to the Huskies' 10. Frost finished with three saves.
 
Maryland will host No. 8 Iowa (8-2, 3-0 B1G) at 4 p.m. Friday at the Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex.
 
Madison Maguire's sister, Makenna, is a sophomore on the Iowa field hockey squad.
 
For Friday's game in College Park, Lot 11b, the lot directly next to the Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex, will open for fan parking at 4 p.m. planning to arrive prior to 4:00 p.m. Friday should use this link to find metered visitor parking. Fans should please read and follow all posted parking signs in the surrounding lots.
 
For the latest information, follow the Terrapins on Twitter at @terpsfh and on Instagram at @terpsfh. 
 
DEFLECTIONS… Maryland owns the all-time series over Connecticut, 8-2, and has won the last three straight matchups… this is Maryland's fourth shutout of the year…the Terps have beaten three top 10 teams in the last two weeks… Noelle Frost reached 50 career saves in Sunday's game… with a goal and an assist, Madison Maguire reached 80 career points… Meharg is 576-139-9 (.802) in her 32 years as head coach… the Terps are 185-20 (902) all-time at the Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex.
 

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Head Coach Missy Meharg

On how special this win is and what it means to the team:
"It's not stressful at all; it's a lot of fun, it's what we are here for. I love the team, the energy, the staff, we believe that we can play. I think what I am most impressed with is over the past weekend we played at home and then flew over to Chicago and got a win there in double overtime. We missed our flight at 9:00-something. The kids weren't in bed until 2:00 and went to class in the morning so I am super pleased with their resilience, their coaching ability, staff and training. Sandy Worth's group did a great job of getting them recovered properly, so there's lots of new mechanisms and I couldn't be more thankful for Sandy Worth and her group."

On the first quarter of the game:
"I thought we were super slow in the first and second quarter. I think our ball speed was slow, our movement after we passed was slow and we were very hesitant. I was just eagerly thankful that we had a counterattack to get on the board, but that's the game, isn't it? There was a super amount of energy and pressure from young Emma DeBerdine. She was ruthless in her pressure and that type of pressure can get you back what you need and on the board. I was impressed with the team when we went into halftime. There were a couple things that we stressed and that was just when you have the ball in a channel move it to another channel and if you can't move it directly, drop it and move it so we get it off of the channels. We did really well in those third and fourth quarters. We played of good quality. It is always a different game when you play with a man down but I think we handled that yellow card very well plus green when it was seven minutes [remaining]."

On shutting out UConn for the first time this season:
"I don't know if they think that way, I know you all do and I think it's great for Noelle. I think [it's great] any time you are able to shut out a program like that with players on that field like they have. They have forwards and attack seven just like we do, so it's a great testament for Noelle and to make that save looked soft but it was more than accurate. It was a nice outcome. I love shutouts."

On their defensive adjustment in the second half:
"We really just talked about how some of their players really like going one against two so both people think they are going to play the ball, and then they split you. They were doing that all over, so we just talked predominantly about how one player is going to channel it and then they are going to tackle it and I thought we did really well with that. We doubled down, let the center back have the ball all day long and they adjusted well. Sometimes you say things, and you ask things, and I have an Astroturf field in the locker room. You can see it, we got little turtles and everything set, and  sometimes they see it, listen and get it done so today was a good day to do that."

On Emma DeBerdine's energy:
"Well, I think you could see their family has a lot of muscles, and I think that helps in most sports. She has such energy and desire, physiology, her ability to stay and play over sustain minutes. We are working hard with her goal shots. Having that game winner the other day for her is a step look. How many shots did she have today? She had to have three or four. She is going to get shots, she is going to get more shots so I am super pleased."

Sophomore Defender Riley Donnelly

On back-to-back top five victories: 
"Playing opponents like these is really important and really ups our level of play. We faced them in one of the first rounds of the NCAA last year, probably earlier than we should've because they're a great team, but I am sure we'll see them again probably."

On the importance of having a wide variety of goal scorers:
"I think throughout the season we do have a wide spread of goal scorers which is really great to have because it makes it harder for the defense. If you say, 'Okay this girl has 90% of their goals we're going to mark her, shut her down', but that's not really the way it is so it makes it harder to defend us."

On scoring the second goal:
"That was great. She [Madison Maguire] got a touch on it or the defender got a touch on it but their goalie went down and there was just a great opportunity to deflect up over the goal there it was just really exciting. 1-0 vs. 2-0 is a huge difference in field hockey."

On their mindset going into the second half:
"Just really have to sustain possession as much as possible. And be smart with our opportunities. We want to attack and go for it as much as possible but also know we are two goals up so just to make smart passes."

On Linda Cobano's consistent goal scoring in games:
"I think Linda has a really powerful hit, so even if it is not always exactly what she wanted it's just really hard for the goalie to react to it because it's so fast."

On Emma DeBerdine:
"If you have people around you who are faster than you are you just try to keep up and it makes the whole team go faster so it definitely helps us."

Sophomore Midfielder Linda Cobano

On back-to-back top five victories 
"This is really special for us because we've been working so hard from the beginning of the season and now we're meeting that strong opponent and that's what we're going to do when we will hopefully get into the NCAA finals. It's good that we meet these opponents now and gain the confidence that we can win over them. So that's a big step that we took today."

On the team's mindset going into the second half
"You always have to expect that the other team is going to score in the second half so that's what we did when we were in the circle right before the second half we said okay, its 0-0 girls, we have to play like we're not leading right now. Just to keep on scoring which did not happen but we were defending pretty well so that worked out too."

On her consistent goal scoring in games:
"Definitely no, not easy, I mean I am really lucky. That ball just popped up in front of me and I just took the shot and I think it also got deflected by another defender so it got very high for the goalie to catch that one. I am glad if I can help the team if it's with scoring or with making good passes or whatever, it's all just as important as scoring so we'll try to keep working on that."

On Emma DeBerdine:
"She's just a spark. Her pure speed and athleticism is just insane and just to see that gives you a little bit of extra energy and to see her tackling back makes your job a whole lot easier to defend because that has the girl on the ball her eyes are down and it makes it that much easier to come up with the ball and go forward again."