No. 4 Maryland field hockey vs No. 18 Rutgers preview

Coming into a top-25 matchup with the No. 18 Rutgers Scarlet Knights, No. 4 Maryland field hockey is riding a five-game win streak. Most recently, the Terps are coming off a 4-3 overtime victory over then No. 6 Princeton.

Both teams most recently defeated Princeton, and they’ll now square off for a Big Ten battle. The Terps won their conference opener against Penn State a week ago, while Saturday’s tilt will be the Scarlet Knights’ first conference game of the season.

For the second game in a row, Maryland head coach Missy Meharg will be opposite a familiar face. Princeton is led by Carla Tagliente, who played under Meharg at Maryland, and Rutgers head coach Meredith Civico did the same. The latter even won a national championship with the Terps in 2005.

No. 18 Rutgers — Saturday, 1 p.m.

The Scarlet Knights are currently 4-3 on the season, and like many other top teams in the nation, have faced a very tough schedule. They’ve suffered losses to current-No. 3 UConn, No. 11 Saint Joseph’s and No. 12 Delaware. Rutgers’ most impressive win had come against current-No. 10 Princeton.

Although Rutgers has dropped three games against ranked opponents, most of its games have been close contests. The Scarlet Knights are outscoring their opponents 12-8, but their defense is what stands out the most.

Rutgers’ defense has been comparable to Maryland’s — the former allows 1.14 goals per game while the Terps have conceded exactly one per outing. . The Scarlet Knights have only allowed 35 shots on goal compared to the Terps’ 44. However, Rutgers will have to deal with one of the nation’s top offenses.

Last season, the two teams met in College Park, where Maryland scored three goals in the first 15 minutes to post a 3-1 victory. In that game, sophomore forward Bibi Donraadt totaled two goals and junior Kyler Greenwalt added one of her own.

Players to know

Austyn Cuneo, redshirt senior defender, No. 30. In addition to being one of the team’s captains, Cuneo is also a huge piece of the Scarlet Knight’s corner plays. The redshirt senior leads the team in total points with 12 (4 goals, 4 assists). Last season, Cuneo only had 14 total points all year, but this year her usage on the team has increased.

Katie Larmour, redshirt junior midfielder, No. 24. After taking a medical redshirt year last season, Larmour has made her impact on the offensive side of things this year. The redshirt junior is tied for the most goals on the team with four and has also registered one assist.

Gianna Glatz, junior goalkeeper, No. 1. After beating Princeton last week, Glatz was awarded Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week. Against the Tigers, Glatz made five saves and allowed just one goal. Glatz has been impressive this season. The junior has allowed just eight goals, while saving 27 shots for an average of 1.15 goals per game.

Three things to watch

1. Can Rutgers keep up with Maryland’s offense? Rutgers defense may look good statistically, but they face a very tough task on Saturday. The Terps high-powered offense is one of the best in the nation. Maryland ranks 8th in the NCAA in goals scored per game with 3.44, while Rutgers is averaging just 1.71.
2. History is on the Terps side. Since joining the Big Ten conference in 2014, Maryland has never lost to Rutgers. Not only have the Terps won every matchup, but they have completely dominated the Scarlet Knights. In the six games since 2014, the Terps have outscored Rutgers, 25-5.
3. First Big Ten road test. This will be the first time that the Terps go on the road for a Big Ten match. Last year, two of Maryland’s three losses came on the road, one of which was a Big Ten road loss to Penn State. Last season, Rutgers utilized its home field to its advantage, finishing with a 9-2 record. And currently, the Scarlet Knights have a 2-1 record at the Bauer Track and Field Complex.