No. 2 Maryland field hockey vs. Georgetown preview

No. 2 Maryland field hockey returns home for a Tuesday afternoon matchup with Georgetown at the Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex in College Park. The game starts at 4 p.m. and can be watched on Big Ten Plus.

The Terps (12-1) are coming off an offensive explosion in their 5-1 victory over Indiana on Oct. 7. Five different players registered goals in Maryland’s sixth conference victory of the season. Maryland is riding a six-game winning streak with notable wins over top-five teams in Iowa and Northwestern.

Georgetown (3-10) is currently on a six-game losing streak that started on Sept. 16 with a loss to then-No. 12 Liberty. In their recent 2-0 loss to No. 12 Old Dominion, the Hoyas only registered one penalty corner and five shots. They are currently last in the Big East and hoping to gain some momentum heading toward the end of the season.

Maryland holds a 2-0 series lead over Georgetown, last defeating the Hoyas by a score of 9-0 on Oct. 27, 2013.

With six games left, Maryland will look to extend its win streak to six games in its second of three straight home games at the Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex. Georgetown will look to pull off the monumental upset in College Park.

Now, let’s look at the Georgetown Hoyas.

Georgetown Hoyas (3-10)

2021 record: 10-8 (3-4 Big East)

The Georgetown Hoyas are led by head coach Christy Longacre, who’s in her fifth season leading the Big East program.

In her debut season for Georgetown, she led it to an 11-7 record, which marked its first winning season since 2002; the 11 victories were the most since the 2001 season.

Before arriving at Georgetown, she served two seasons as the head coach at Ball State. Similarly, in her debut season, she led the Cardinals to eight wins, their most victories in over a decade.

Longacre was a two-time All-American as a player at Old Dominion. She was tabbed a First-Team NFHCA All-American in 2013. During her decorated career, she received CAA Defensive Player of the Year honors twice.

Georgetown is struggling to generate consistent victories, but Longacre hopes to restore prominence in the District of Columbia.

Players to know

Vivienne Trumpbour, junior forward, No. 18 — Trumpbour enters Tuesday’s game tied for the team lead in goals with four. She recorded an assist in Georgetown’s 4-2 loss to La Salle on Oct. 2. She also recorded the game-winning goal in the Hoyas’ last victory over Saint Francis on Sept. 11. The Pennsylvania native ranks third on Georgetown with 19 shots and 12 shots on goals. Her four assists are tied for the team lead on a team that hasn’t enjoyed much success this season.

Emma van der Veen, sophomore midfielder, No. 11 — The former MAX Field Hockey Top 50 recruit leads the team with 34 shots on the season. She is also tied for third on the team with three goals. Van der Veen scored a pair of goals in Georgetown’s dominant 9-1 victory over Queens University on Sept. 4. In her second season at Georgetown, she has shown flashes of excellence and the ability to be a contributor for years to come. The sophomore midfielder attacks the opponents’ cage from the opening whistle and will look for creases in the defense to exploit for scoring opportunities.

Sophie Towne, sophomore midfielder/attacker, No. 21 — In her debut season for the Hoyas, she led the team with six goals. She’s currently second on the team with 32 shots in 13 games. Towne is part of a promising recruiting class that has the potential to establish Georgetown as a national contender in years to come. She scored a goal in the Hoyas’ largest victory this season versus Queens University.

Strength

Saves. In a season where success has been scarce, Georgetown currently has 99 saves this season. Graduate goalkeeper Ciara Weets has been outstanding with using her hands and terrific lateral agility to swat shots away from the cage. Georgetown has lost four games by one score or less, registering 34 saves in those contests.

Weakness

Goals. Georgetown has only three wins this season and has struggled mightily to score in bunches this season. In eight of its 13 games this season, Georgetown managed to score one goal or fewer. With a schedule featuring several offensive juggernauts, scoring is pivotal to keep up with these high-powered offenses. If the Hoyas can identify scoring opportunities, they could make a run in the Big East tournament.

Three things to watch

1. Can Maryland enjoy its second six-game winning streak of the season? The Terps are enjoying a great season, and their win-loss record is indicative of that. With a victory over Georgetown, the Terps would have a pair of six-game winning streaks under their belt. Maryland won its first seven games to start the season, with notable victories over No. 12 Harvard and No. 14 Boston College.

Maryland head coach Missy Meharg has been using different lineups to keep her team fresh to continue attacking opposing defenses. Meharg said that the players’ minutes are being heavily monitored to manage each player’s workload. Securing victories at this point of the season is critical, and Maryland will look to add to its impressive win total.

2. What will the Terps’ defense do for an encore at home? Many will say Maryland’s defense has been its catalyst in 2022, and its 5-1 victory over Indiana on Oct. 8 embodied that statement. The Terps’ defense relinquished a mere two shots and three penalty corners against Indiana for their sixth Big Ten victory of the season.

Maryland is fourth in the conference with only 1.3 goals allowed per contest, and it has pitched two shutouts. With outstanding agility and quickness to cause havoc to offenses, junior defender Rayne Wright is arguably one of the best defensive players in the country. The Terps’ defense has been their staple this season and figures to play a role in the postseason.

3. With six games left in the season, how important is this game for Maryland in the Big Ten? At 12-1 and a perfect 6-0 in Big Ten play, the Terps are leading the conference with six games remaining in the season. The Terps can wrap up the conference crown by finishing strong in their remaining games. Adding another victory into the win column adds to an impressive resume and builds momentum toward the end of the season.