Maryland women’s lacrosse vs. Johns Hopkins preview

Coming off a huge victory last weekend over Syracuse, Maryland women’s lacrosse returns Sunday as the Terps take on Johns Hopkins. The Blue Jays currently rank 16th in the country and are coming off a 12-4 victory over Hofstra. The last time these two teams played, Maryland defeated Johns Hopkins in the Sweet 16 of the 2016 NCAA Tournament.

No. 16 Johns Hopkins Blue Jays (7-1)

Head coach Janine Tucker. In 23 seasons as head coach, Tucker is Johns Hopkins’ all-time wins leader with 260. She’s led the Blue Jays to 19 seasons with double-digit wins and six NCAA Division I tournament appearances.

Players to Watch

Haley Schweizer, 5’10, Midfield, No. 21. After scoring 52 goals combined in the 2015 and 2016 seasons, the senior is tied for the team lead this year with 15. She has also tallied 22 draw controls, 13 ground balls, and 10 caused turnovers. She plays all over the field for the BLue Jays and will be their top threat on Sunday.

Miranda Ibello, 5’4, Attack, No. 8. Ibello is the Blue Jays’ leader this season in points, totaling 13 goals and 13 assists. She is shooting 71.4 percent on shots on goal and she has already surpassed her 21 points from last season in less than half as many games.

Strength

Scoring defense. In eight games, Johns Hopkins has only allowed 61 goals for 7.63 a game, good enough for seventh in the country. Additionally, they are holding opponents to a .319 free position percentage and a .353 shot percentage. In order for Maryland to win this one, they need to solve the stingy Blue Jay defense.

Weakness

Draw controls. Johns Hopkins is averaging only 11.25 draw controls per game, tied for 76 in the nation. While Maryland has also struggled at times with draw controls, this is good game for the Terps to get back on track and find their groove in this area.

Three Things to Watch

1. Megan Taylor. Through eight games, the sophomore has been the best player on this Maryland team. She’s already been the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week four times this year, and she is now on the Tewaaraton Award watch list.
2. Who controls the game? Johns Hopkins only plays close, low-scoring games, having only allowed double-digit goals twice this year. As a result, the Blue Jays have allowed only 61 goals all year. However, Maryland has scored 56 goals in their last three games alone. The higher scoring the game, the better the chance for a Terps victory.
3. Continued improvement. Last week against Syracuse, Maryland played their best and most consistent game of the season. If they continue on this upward trajectory, the sky is the limit.