The Terps took down Hofstra 14-3 in their final tune-up before opening ACC play on Saturday

The Maryland women's lacrosse team bused up the Jersey Turnpike probably getting getting off at exit 13 on their way to take on Hofstra in their Hempstead, Long Island home. The Terps were not the most cordial guests as they won their second game in three days handing their hosts a Pride shattering 14-3 loss.

The game got off to an unusual start for the Terps as the home team controlled the first draw and got off the first shot. The shot was wide and uncovered and the Terps took possession. Hofstra goalie Kelsey Gregerson ended Brooke Griffin's string of goals on consecutive shots at seven when she picked up the first of her 10 saves for the day.

Taylor Cummings opened the scoring for Maryland finding the net on a free position shot just under five minutes into the game. Perhaps they were feeling the effects of travel or perhaps they had overlooked the Pride but the Terps were not sharp offensively in the early going. Maryland had four early turnovers, a two minute yellow card on Erin Collins and Hofstra's hot goalie all combined to stifle the usually potent Terrapin offense.

Hofstra scored with 12:04 to play in the half penetrating what had been a stout Maryland defense and tied the game at one all. Beth Glaros picked up her second draw of the game and the Terps capitalized with Cummings again picking up the score. The sophomore from Ellicott City picked up her first draw control on the the day leading to a Kelly McPartland's first goal of the game just a minute after Cummings had given the Terps the lead. With 2:52 remaining in the half, Cummings completed the hat trick registering her third goal of the half and sixteenth of the season.

Still, judging by the statistics, one would have thought Maryland held a much larger lead than the 4-1 margin they took into the half. The Terrapins out shot the Pride 15-9 and had a 10-3 advantage in shots on goal. The Terps held a 10-5 edge in ground balls and had also doubled up the Pride in draw controls. But six saves by Gregerson and seven Maryland turnovers conspired to keep the half close and low scoring.

It appeared Coach Cathy Reese got the Terps refocused during the break. Glaros picked up her third draw of the game and twelve seconds into the half, Zoe Stukenberg scored on an assist from Cummings. Though Hofstra controlled the next draw, Abby Clipp picked up her third save of the game and Kelly McPartland put the Terps up 6-1 with Cummings again getting the assist and all of this transpired before a minute had passed on the game clock.

Following a Hofstra free position shot that hit the post, McParland scored her second straight picking while up a hat trick of her own and extending the Terrapins lead to 7-1 just three minutes into the half. The Pride responded with their second goal of the game after Stukenberg's shot hit the post for Maryland. Though the Terps controlled the ensuing draw, Gregerson continued her hot play in net for Hofstra picking up a save on McPartland's free position. However, she failed to control the ball allowing Brooke Griffin with Cummings picking up her second consecutive assist. At that point the sophomore had hat tricks in goals, assists, and draw controls.

Cummings picked up her fourth draw of the game and before the clock could tick under seven minutes gone the Terps had scored again. This time McPartland fed Griffin. When the outpouring ended, Maryland had flooded Hofstra's net with one more goal in the first 6:48 minutes of the second half than they had scored in the entire first half. After a timeout, the Pride regrouped, controlled the draw, and cut their deficit back to six. In response, the Terps used all of fifty-seven seconds to score not one but two more goals with Erin Collins and Halle Majorana doing the honors.

The Terps then took a bit of a breather with the teams using up over three minutes before Zoe Stukenberg scored her second of the game. With Maryland now leading 12-3, a yellow card on Hofstra gave the Terps a player advantage. Maryland utilized that advantage for about 20 seconds before Jen Mendez scored her first goal of the season on an assist from Bryn Boucher. This gave the Terps a ten goal lead and started the running clock. The now comfortable margin also allowed Reese to once again allow her reserves to gain valuable game experience. Abby Clipp, who played her second consecutive complete game in goal, wasn't tested quite as strenuously as she had been at Penn State on Saturday. The Redshirt junior finished with five saves on the day.

Jen Mendez closed the scoring with her second goal of the game on a feed from Caroline Wannen with just over two minutes to play. The teams then ran out the clock and Maryland secured their second 14-3 win of the season.

The Terps will take their perfect 5-0 record down to Durham on Saturday where they will open their final ACC season at Duke. Faceoff is scheduled for 1 pm or, as I prefer, 13:00.