COLLEGE PARK, MD – Fresh off of a season-opening top-10 victory, No. 4 Maryland continued their winning ways with a 2-0 win over Drexel on Sunday. The Terps have opened the season 2-0 for three straight years going back to the 2022 season.
In the third quarter, junior forward Fleur Knopert scored the go-ahead goal at 36:59. The score was the transfer from Ball State's first career goal in a Maryland uniform.
Sophomore forward Maci Bradford scored Maryland's second goal at 50:33 in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach. The goal was Bradford's 11th of her career and her first of the 2024 campaign.
Sophomore goalkeeper Alyssa Klebasko finished the game with two saves. She was awarded her first shutout of the season and sixth of her career after totaling five as a freshman in 2023.
Drexel (1-1) could not manufacture many opportunities because of Maryland's dominant defense. The Terps outshot the Dragons 13-3 and held an advantage on corners 6-2.
Coach Meharg's Take
- "Happy for Fleur, happy for us. She put us on the board," said Coach Meharg on junior transfer Fluer Knopert's first goal as a Terp. "She's a goal scorer…and she takes great pride in that. [Her goal] couldn't have come at a better time. It took us a while to get into our rhythm, but the minute we went up two goals, took control of the game, we played our hockey."
Fleur Knopert's Take
- "It feels great, of course," said Knopert, reflecting on her first Maryland goal. "I love playing with this team and connecting with them. It was really a team effort. [In the second half], we focused on ourselves instead of them, looking for eye contact, connecting with each other."
Breaking Down The Action
- The teams traded possessions early, with both squads applying defensive pressure.
- Ellie Goldstein put up a shot attempt that resulted in a Maryland penalty corner, but Hope Rose couldn't convert for a score.
- The Terps cut off a Drexel penalty corner opportunity in the closing minutes of the first period to hold the score at 0-0.
- Maryland opened the second period on the attack, earning a couple of penalty corners.
- Rose put up a pair of shots in the second.
- Maci Bradford placed a perfect pass for Kristina Johnson in the circle, but Drexel's goalkeeper saved Johnson's shot. The score remained knotted at 0-0 heading into halftime.
- Fleur Knopert put the Terps on the board in the third period with an incredible strike off her back shoulder. Knopert maneuvered around Drexel's pressure in the circle before sending the shot to the back right of the goal.
- Klebasko disrupted a Drexel fast break with her second save of the game.
- The Terps' defense followed, deflecting a penalty corner to maintain their 1-0 lead going into the fourth period.
- Maci Bradford scored in the fourth quarter with a short strike while the Drexel goalkeeper was out of the goal. Bradford capitalized on an empty net keyed by the Terps' dynamic defensive pressure.
Home Sweet Home
- Since its opening in 2003, the Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex has given the Maryland hockey program a huge home-field advantage.
- The Terps are 230-32 all-time at the Complex.
- Maryland won 38 straight games at the Complex from Oct. 11, 2008 through Oct. 14, 2011. The streak ended with a 5-2 loss to then-No. 1 Old Dominion.
- The Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex has hosted 29 of Maryland's NCAA Tournament games and three Final Fours (2007, 2010, 2014). The Terrapins are 27-3 in those games and won the 2010 national title on their home field.
Series Success
- The Terps continued their streak of dominance against Drexel, winning all 10 of their all-time matchups.
- Maryland's last win over the Dragons was in 2022 when the Terps took a runaway, 7-1 victory.
Notable Numbers
- 1: Fleur Knopert scored her first career goal as a Terp.
- 4: Maryland is the No. 4 ranked team in the nation.
- 6: Alyssa Klebasko recorded her sixth career shutout.
- 10: The Terps are 10-0 all-time against Drexel.
- 11: Maci Bradford scored her 11th career goal.
- 796: Maryland is just four wins away from 800 program victories.
Up Next
- Maryland will travel to Evanston, Ill., for the B1G/ACC Cup next weekend, hosted by Northwestern at Lakeside Field. The Terps are slated to take on Boston College on Friday at 4 p.m. EST. Their second game is on Sunday against Duke at noon. Both games will be streamed on Big Ten Plus.
