Maryland field hockey completed another weekend sweep of conference opponents Sunday, as the No. 2 Terrapins took down Iowa, 2-1, in a matchup of top-10 Big Ten teams.
Iowa held control of this match statistically, but were unable to put the ball in the back of the net. The No. 8 Hawkeyes took eight shots to Maryland’s five and had eight corners to the Terrapins’ two, but Maryland took advantage of just enough chances to win. The Terrapins scored late in the first half and pulled ahead quickly after Iowa tied it in the second half, then held on for the win.
To start this match, Iowa put a ton of pressure on Maryland. Goalkeeper Sarah Holliday came up huge with three first-half saves to keep the Hawkeyes off the board. Maryland would strike just before the half ended, as Brook DeBerdine was able to put a shot right past the foot of Iowa’s goalkeeper, Leslie Speight. The Terrapins showed their passing skill as the ball got from the defensive end and straight up the field to the net with ease.
After 35 minutes of play, Iowa actually led Maryland 4-3 in shots and 3-1 in penalty corners, but the Terrapins were able to hold a 1-0 lead.
The second half started with more of the same Hawkeye domination of Maryland. Iowa was able to tie the game 12 minutes into the second half off a penalty corner when Ellie Holley scored on a drop-off play.
Maryland answered just three minutes later, though, as Linnea Gonzales sent a ball towards the net and Madison Maguire redirected it into the back of the net. Maguire’s fifth goal of the season put her team back in front by one.
The Terrapins clung to their 2-1 lead, despite Iowa continuing to mount chances. Holliday finished the match with four saves, tying her third-highest total of the season.
Three things to know
- Sarah Holliday showed her skills. After not having to be active most of this season, Holliday played a great match against Iowa and tallied her third-highest save total of the season. She only played 35 minutes against Indiana on Friday, but certainly showed why she is Missy Meharg’s No. 1 choice in goal in this contest.
- Maryland still has things to work on. Iowa took control of this game early and held momentum for a majority of the afternoon. The Terrapins will need to find more ways to hold possession like they did against Indiana. In the case that shots aren’t going in, they’ll need to create more chances.
- More tests are coming next weekend. The Terrapins will host No. 15 Northwestern on Friday and travel to play No. 20 Virginia on Sunday. Both teams will compete with Maryland and provide even more chances to boost the resume before postseason play.