No. 2 Maryland field hockey improves to 6-0 in Big Ten with dominant 5-1 win over Indiana

Just 45 seconds after No. 2 Maryland field hockey graduate defender Riley Donnelly’s goal in the second quarter, Maryland midfielder Belle Bressler raced toward Indiana’s cage and delivered a perfect pass to senior forward Margot Lawn in front of the goal. Lawn caught the ball in stride and wasted no time putting it in the back of the cage to give the Terps a convincing four-goal lead.

Lawn’s goal was one of five that Maryland scored at the Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex in College Park on Friday night, coming away with a resounding 5-1 victory over Indiana. With the win, Maryland moved to a perfect 6-0 in conference play.

“You have to be able to dominate and sustain attack pressure even when you know that the opposition is not as athletic and possibly not as technical as you are,” head coach Missy Meharg said. “They’re certainly not as deep and you can get really bored by a game like this, and I thought Maryland didn’t.”.

Maryland and Indiana started off slow, using the first few minutes of the opening period to get acclimated with one another. Both teams exercised patience on offense, as they meticulously moved the ball around the perimeter, searching for an area to exploit in the defense.

Fewer than six minutes into the first quarter, the Terps’ persistence paid off on their third penalty corner.

Graduate midfielder Danielle Van Rootselaar swung a shot that Indiana goalie Arabella Loveridge blocked. The shot was sent back into the circle, then senior midfielder Emma DeBerdine corralled the loose ball, sending the shot into the cage for the first goal of the game. DeBerdine’s goal gave Maryland an early 1-0 advantage.

“I think it says a lot we have defenders and forwards scoring,” senior midfielder Emma DeBerdine said. “It just means we can get the ball in the back of the net if we need to.”

Maryland used its strong defense to further ignite its electric offense.

With fewer than three minutes remaining in the first quarter, the Terps sprinted toward Indiana’s cage. Maryland graduate midfielder Leah Crouse raced down the right sideline and found graduate midfielder Bibi Donraadt in front of the cage for a goal. Donraadt’s goal extended Maryland’s lead to 2-0 after the first 15 minutes.

The second quarter began with Maryland adding to the offensive onslaught.

With fewer than 10 minutes left in the second quarter, the Terps took advantage of another penalty corner. Donnelly sent a missile into the cage to give Maryland a 3-0 advantage.

Fewer than two minutes after their third goal, the Terps remained aggressive offensively and it paid off in a huge way with Lawn’s tally.

Indiana tried to muster a goal to cut into the Terps lead before intermission, and it would do just that.

With fewer than a minute left until halftime, Indiana was assessed its second penalty corner of the game. Indiana sophomore midfielder Sophia Arrebola Garcia sent a shot that spiraled into the air before clunking into the back of Maryland’s cage for its first goal of the contest, cutting Maryland’s lead to three.

Coming out of halftime, the Terps seemed determined to put the finishing touches on a dominant performance.

Soon into the third quarter, Donnelly sent a strong shot toward the cage that was deflected into the net by senior midfielder Nathalie Fiechter for the goal. Fiechter’s goal gave Maryland an overwhelming 5-1 lead that they would hold until the final horn blew.

The Terps improved to 12-1 and will return home on Oct. 11 for a matchup with the Georgetown Hoyas.

Three things to know

1. Maryland’s offense dominated from start to finish in a resounding victory over Indiana. Maryland has showcased its ability to win close defensive battles and pour on the offense on other occasions, too. On Friday night, it was a dominant offensive performance from the Terps who had complete control of the game from the opening whistle to the final horn.

2. The Terps extend their winning streak to five games and maintain a perfect record at home. Maryland has extended its winning streak to five games after victories over Iowa, Northwestern, Michigan, Michigan State and now Indiana. The Terps are 12-1 overall with a perfect 6-0 conference record. Currently, Maryland has a two-game lead in the Big Ten over Penn State. The Terps will travel to Pennsylvania for a date with the Nittany Lions on Oct. 21 in a game that may hold championship implications. Maryland is a perfect 6-0 at home, with two of its victories coming against opponents ranked in the top 25. If the Terps can secure victories in their final three home games, the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament looks within reach.

3. With six games left in the season, Maryland seems to be clicking on all cylinders, despite missing Hope Rose. The Terps have been without arguably their best player Hope Rose for three games now, but haven’t skipped a beat. In that period, Maryland notched back-to-back wins over top five teams — Iowa and Northwestern — and have showcased its depth. When Rose returns, the Terps could have all the pieces in place to put together a deep postseason run.