The Maryland women's lacrosse team improved to 3-0 with a triumph over the Hofstra Pride Saturday afternoon. The Terps were simply too fast and too athletic as they dominated from the outset scoring the first four goals in their comfortable 14-6 win.
First Half - It starts with Cummings
Taylor Cummings controlled the opening draw and after the teams traded turnovers and freshman Megan Whittle scored the first of her three first half goals on a free position shot two and a half minutes into game. Cummings again won the draw and the Terps worked for another free position chance but Pride goalie Kelsey Gregerson made the save on Kristin Lamon's shot.
For the most of the first half, Maryland's defense prevented the Pride from even penetrating the eight meter fan and the Terps forced the Pride into a turnover that led to Maryland's second score as Cummings cut to the goal and turned Brooke Griffin's pass into her eighth goal of the season. Three minutes later, Cummings returned the favor becoming the facilitator on freshman Taylor Hensh's first goal as a Terp. Nine and a half minutes in Maryland led 3-0.
The Terps built the lead to 4-0 again capitalizing on a Pride turnover. In this instance, Whittle facilitated Lamon's third goal of the season. Hofstra finally broke through after Gregerson registered another save on a Terrapins free position chance scoring with 12:41 to play in the half.
Beginning with a score by Whittle with 10:32 to play, Maryland exploded for five goals over a three minute and seventeen second span that has become characteristic of the Terps under coach Cathy Reese and essentially salted the game away. Whittle's goal came when she cut in from the left wing taking a precise pass from Griffin. The freshman needed less than a minute to complete her first half hat trick.
Kelly McPartland scored on a free position with 8:10 to play and 15 seconds later Griffin picked up her first of the game scooping in a ground ball from just outside the crease that Gregerson had failed to control. Lamon took the honor of scoring the last goal in the rapid fire assault with an assist from Cummings a mere 45 seconds later.
Some casual Maryland play allowed the Pride to register the last two goals of the half to trail 9-3 at the break. Maryland had a 22-7 shot advantage over the host school.
Second half - Slowing it down
The second half started with Hofstra winning the draw but Terrapins goalie Ale Fitzpatrick picked the shot off for one of her seven saves on the day. Maryland needed nearly nine minutes to break into the scoring column in the second half with the goal coming from Griffin on a pass from Zoe Stukenberg. Hensh followed with her second goal this one coming off a free position chance to open an 11-3 lead for the Terps.
Hofstra freshman Amanda Seekamp scored her second of the game but Hensh had the answer scoring on another free position to push Maryland's lead back to eight with just over 12 minutes to play. Over the next four minutes, Cummings picked up a goal and an assist on Caroline Wannen's score and, with a 14-4 Maryland lead began the running clock.
The comfortable lead gave Reese the opportunity to play deep into her roster. In all, 27 players would see some action for Maryland. Sophomore Emily Kift playing behind a number of non-starters surrendered two late goals in relief of Fitzpatrick to make the final of 14-6 appear closer than the actual result.
The freshmen, Whittle and Hensh led Maryland with each registering a hat trick. Cummings, Griffin and Lamon also scored more than once. Cummings also led the team with three assists and four draw controls while Griffin also contributed a pair of assists.
Maryland returns home to host UMBC in a game slated for 7:00 pm Wednesday night. The Terps beat the Retrievers 14-3 in Catonsville last season. The Syracuse Orange will visit College Park on Saturday, March 7 in a rematch of the 2014 national championship game.
Added at 20:10 - Since my teaser generated no comments (any excuse for Linda Ronstadt): And I know I could have gone with Bonnie Raitt