The inaugural season for Big Ten women's lacrosse had entered its third week before a Maryland Terrapin won a B1G weekly award. Of course, even the deep and talented Terps were unlikely to win an award since they didn't play in weeks one or two. That changed quickly once they got on the field.
Zoe Stukenberg, the 2014 ACC Freshman of the Year, captured the Offensive Player of the Week. The sophomore from Ellicott City, Md., took three shots and scored three goals in the Terps' 15-5 win over William & Mary Sunday. In addition to her three goals, she handed out three of Maryland's five assists. Her six points in one game is a personal best.
Megan Whittle, who came to Maryland from McDonogh High School as Inside Lacrosse's nationally top ranked high school player, certainly gave Terps fans a tantalizing taste of what to expect over the next four years. She scored two goals on three shots en route to winning her first award after only her first collegiate contest.
Casual fans may be wondering how reigning Tewaaraton Award winner Taylor Cummings fared since the junior didn't win a weekly acknowledgement. Cummings took four shots and scored four goals. She also picked up two ground balls, caused four turnovers and had nine draw controls (matching William & Mary's team total), but didn't register an assist. Perhaps when you're the reigning national player of the year, you are held to a higher standard.
Life gets exponentially tougher for the Terps in their second game when they host the second ranked North Carolina Tar Heels Saturday afternoon. The Tar Heels have handed Maryland their only two losses over the last two years and we will have a detailed preview later in the week.