No. 3 Virginia Cavaliers (3-0, 0-0 ACC) at. No. 5 Maryland (2-1, 0-0 B1G)
September 13, 2024
Maryland Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex
7:00 PM ET
B1G+
Lock Haven (1-3, 0-0 PSAC) at. No. 5 Maryland (2-1, 0-0 B1G)
September 15, 2024
Maryland Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex
2:00 PM ET
B1G+
COLLEGE PARK, MD - No. 5 Maryland returns to action on Friday for the Terrapin Invitational Tournament, hosting Virginia, Lock Haven, and American in College Park. The No. 5-ranked Terps will face the No. 3-ranked Virginia Cavaliers at 7 p.m. on Friday, followed by a Sunday showdown against Lock Haven at 2 p.m. to close out the tournament.
Parking:
Fans planning to attend the Lock Haven vs. American game Friday can pay to park in lot XV1 which is right across the street from the field hockey complex or pay to park on the top level of Regents Drive Garage. Additionally, after 4:00 p.m. fans can park for free in lot 11B and 9B. Please be aware of new traffic patterns around campus.
Click
here for campus parking map.
matchup preview
- No. 3 Virginia is coming off a 2-0 road weekend defeating Temple 7-0 and No. 11 Liberty 2-1. The Cavaliers took 21 shots against Temple, with three Cavaliers scoring their first career goals. Against No. 11 Liberty, Senior Jans Croon scored the game-winning goal off a corner with 4:19 left in the fourth quarter to give Virginia its second ranked victory this season. Croon is the seventh different Cavalier to score a goal through the first three games.
- Virginia's 2024 roster returns most of their starters including three Cavaliers that made waves at the Junior Pan American Championship this summer. Senior Jans Croon, junior midfielder Daniela Mendez-Trendler and sophomore midfielder Mia Abello were all part of the Junior National Team that won a silver medal in July. Combined, the three Cavaliers scored seven goals throughout the tournament for the United States.
- Senior goalkeeper Tyler Kennedy will also be returning to Charlottesville this fall. Kennedy had 75 saves last season and had five shutouts throughout the season.
- Last season, Virginia suffered losses to North Carolina in the ACC semifinal and the NCAA semifinal. However, the ACC preseason poll named the Cavaliers the favorites to win the ACC this season.
- Lock Haven is coming off a 1-1 home weekend defeating Colgate 4-3 but losing to Georgetown 1-2. The Bald Eagles return their top scorer from last season in Brooke Hofsass. This season, Hofsass has one assist and ten shot attempts. Lock Haven also returns their standout-goalkeeper Kelsey Felix as she started all 17 games last year and finished with 99 saves.
- Maryland is 46-23-2 all-time against No. 3 Virginia and is 7-3 in the last ten matchups against the Cavaliers.
- Maryland is 4-2 all-time against Lock Haven. The Terps defeated the Bald Eagles 5-0 in their last matchup in 2008 in Lock Haven, Pa.
No. 5 Maryland earned its second ranked win of the season defeating No. 17 Boston College this past weekend in Evanston.
Last week's recap
- No. 4 Maryland coming off a 1-1 weekend at the Big Ten/ACC Challenge in Evanston.
- On Friday, Maryland posted a 2-0 shutout against No. 17 Boston College. This would be the third straight year that Maryland has started 3-0. Less than two minutes into the game, freshman forward Ella Gaitan was able to score her first career goal.
- Sophomore midfielder Maya Everett helped extend the Terps' lead with a goal midway through the third quarter. The goal was Everett's first in her career.
- On Sunday, Maryland fell to No. 5 Duke, 1-0, in a hard-fought battle against one of the best teams in the country. Despite the loss, Maryland held advantages in shots (10-3), shots on goal (4-1) and corner opportunities (4-2).
Sophomore
Maya Everett scored her first career goal on Friday vs. #17 Boston College.
Big Performances and B1G Awards
- Freshman Ella Gaitan was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week by the conference on Monday.
- On Friday, against No. 17 Boston College, Ella Gaitan scored her first career goal just under two minutes into the game. Gaitan has played a key role that has helped Maryland start the season 3-0 for three consecutive years, dating back to 2022.
- This past summer, Gaitan was part of the 2024 U.S. U21 National Team. She helped the USA Field Hockey U21 Women's National Team to the Silver Medal at the 2024 Junior Pan American Championship which was held July 2-12 at Tamanawis Park in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. Their strong performance secured the USA a spot in the 2025 FIH Hockey Junior World Cup.
- Before arriving to Maryland, Gaitan was recognized as one of the national's top prospects, being named a 2022 Max Field Hockey Top 50 Player for the 2024 Class. Her standout high school career earned her several honors in 2021, including MAX Field Hockey Second Team All-New Jersey Region, First Team MAPL, and NJISA Prep "A" All-State First Team.
Freshman
Ella Gaitan was a 2022 Max Field Hockey Top 50 Player for the 2022 class.
defense stands tall
- On Friday, Maryland's defense, led by Ericka Morris-Adams, Josie Hollamon and Rayne Wright, limited No. 17 Boston College to zero shots in the second quarter and just one in the third quarter.
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Sophomore goalkeeper Alyssa Klebasko finished the game with five saves, including four in the fourth quarter alone. She was awarded her second shutout of the season and seventh of her career.
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This season, Klebasko is third in the conference in Goals Against Average and has a 81.8% save percentage.
- Klebasko currently is ranked fourth in the NCAA in Goals Against Average.
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Maryland is also second in the conference in shutouts with two so far this season through four games.
Rayne Wright earned All-Big Ten First team honors last season.
celebrating 50 years of excellence
- This year, Maryland will be celebrating 50 years of the historic field hockey program.
- On opening night, Maryland honored 50 years by hosting alumni and celebrated each national championship team at halftime.
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Under Hall of Fame coaches Sue Tyler and Missy Meharg the Terps have epitomize the word dominance in field hockey.
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With eight NCAA titles, Maryland is third most among all Division 1 schools.
- The Terps have reached the Final Four a historic 21 times and have an all-time winning percentage above 75 percent.
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Maryland currently has the longest active streak of NCAA tournament appearances, with 28 consecutive bids.
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Maryland is just three wins away from 800 program wins.
On opening night, Maryland celebrated 50 years of field hockey by hosting alumni from each decade.
Championship coaching
- Missy Meharg returns for her 37th season as head coach. A nine-time National Coach of the Year recipient, Meharg brings an unprecedented level of consistency and excellence to the Maryland field hockey program.
- Meharg became the third coach in Division I history to reach 600 wins in 2021. She is not shy of championships as she has lead the Terps to seven national titles, including five in seven years,12 conference tournament crowns,15 conference regular season titles and 19 appearances in the NCAA Semifinals round, including 12 in the NCAA Finals.
- She is supported by associate head coach Scott Tupper (fourth season), assistant coach Kasey Tapman Asper (fourth season) and goalie specialist Jenny Rizzo (first season).
Click here for this week's game notes.
