No. 5 Maryland Opens Big Ten Play with 4-1 Win Over Penn State

Thursday, September 17

University Park, PA

5 PM

Maryland

(7-0, 1-0)

Penn State

(3-3, 0-1)

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Maryland	1	0	0	3	4
Penn State	0	0	1	0	1

Maryland battles Penn State for possession

No. 5 Maryland Opens Big Ten Play with 4-1 Win Over Penn State

9/17/2026 5:00:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

The Terps are 7-0 for the 15th time in program history.

STATE COLLEGE, PA — The No. 5 Terps took down Penn State on the road on Thursday evening with a 4-1 win. Maryland's victory kept the Terps (7-0, 1-0 Big Ten) undefeated and gave them their 10th win in a conference opener since joining the Big Ten in 2014.

Brinkley Eyre opened the scoring in the first quarter with her first career goal. The Terps tallied the game's first five shots, putting all of them on goal, before Penn State (3-3, 0-1 Big Ten) recorded its first in the 19th minute. Maryland peppered the Penn State cage with seven shots on target in the first half, but Eyre's strike stood as the game's lone goal until the Nittany Lions tied the game early in the second half.

First career goal for Brinkley 🤩#bestofthebest pic.twitter.com/SLNHshyJNp
— Maryland Field Hockey (@TerpsFH) September 17, 2026

Tied up in the fourth quarter, Babs van Hest opened a three-goal quarter with a timely strike in the 47th minute to put the Terps back in front. Ella Beach and Maci Bradford both followed suit with late goals to seal Maryland's 15th 7-0 start in program history and first since 2022.

THE GO-AHEAD GOAL! Babs delivers in the fourth! 😎#bestofthebest pic.twitter.com/cxsbSpWhbI
— Maryland Field Hockey (@TerpsFH) September 17, 2026

Alyssa Klebasko earned her 41st win of her career in goal for Maryland. The Terps' four goals allowed through seven games in 2026 are the program's fewest since 2007. Maryland will bring its incredible momentum into Sunday's game against Wake Forest, where the team will honor the 2005 and 2006 national championship teams.

How it Happened:
1st Quarter:

Feliz Kuhne put a shot on goal in the second minute to force a PSU save.
Eyre's goal (1) put Maryland up 1-0 in the sixth minute. Maia Adamson assisted (2) on the goal.
Kendall Gilmore put a shot on goal in the 10th minute.
Francisca Eschoyez forced another save with a good look in the 15th minute.
Maryland held PSU shotless in the first quarter and led 1-0 after 15 minutes of action.

2nd Quarter:

Jordyn Hollamon put a shot on goal in the 18th minute.
Penn State recorded its first shot in the 19th minute, but Klebasko made her first save of the evening to keep Maryland ahead.
Josie Hollamon and Adamson put shots on goal midway through the quarter.
The Terps took their 1-0 lead into the break.

3rd Quarter:

Penn State tied the game in the 36th minute.
Maryland was held without a shot in the third quarter, but the game was tied 1-1 heading into the fourth quarter.

4th Quarter:

Maryland retook the lead with van Hest's goal (5) in the 47th minute.
Beach's goal (2) gave the Terps a cushion in the 50th minute. Kuhne assisted (2) on the goal.
Bradford's goal (1) put Maryland up 4-1 in the 55th minute. Beach (3) and Gilmore (1) both assisted.
The Terps closed out their 4-1 win.

Superb Start:

The Terps are 7-0 for the first time since 2022 and the 15th time in program history.
- 1995, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2018, 2022, 2026.
Maryland won its conference opener for the third straight season and the 10th time since joining the Big Ten in 2014.
The Terps are out-shooting opponents 131- 53 and out-scoring them 26-4 in 2026.
Maryland's four goals allowed through seven games are its fewest since 2007.

MACI JOINS THE GOAL PARTY! 🥳#bestofthebest pic.twitter.com/v6HT3fbxEz
— Maryland Field Hockey (@TerpsFH) September 17, 2026

Playing Penn State:

Thursday marked the 51st all-time meeting between Maryland and Penn State in a series that dates back to 1975.
The Terps grabbed their 22nd all-time win over the Nittany Lions and their eighth on the road in the series' history.
Maryland has now won four straight against Penn State.
The Terps' biggest win in series history was an 8-1 victory in 2009.

Numbers to Know:

1: Maryland won its conference opener for a third straight season and the 10th time since 2014.
2: The Terps are 2-0 on the road.
4: Maryland's four goals allowed this season are its fewest through seven games since 2007.
4: The Terps have won four straight meetings with Penn State.
7: Maryland is 7-0 for the 15th time in program history.
22: The Terps earned their 22nd all-time win over the Nittany Lions.
41: Klebasko earned her 41st career win.
51: Thursday marked the 51st all-time meeting between Maryland and Penn State.

Maryland goals are pouring in University Park 🌧️#bestofthebest pic.twitter.com/I380DEB5kM
— Maryland Field Hockey (@TerpsFH) September 17, 2026

Up Next:

Maryland returns to College Park to host Wake Forest as the Terps welcome back their 2005 and 2006 national championship teams on Sept. 20. The game is set for 12 PM and will air on BTN.