Midfielder Linda Cobano leads No. 4 Maryland field hockey to 2-1 win over No. 18 Rutgers

After the Terps scored an early goal in the eighth minute, No. 4 Maryland and the No. 18 Rutgers Scarlet Knights were in a stalemate for nearly 30 minutes Saturday.

In the 35th minute, the Terps forced a turnover and turned it into a three-on-one offensive attack with freshman Emma DeBerdine leading the charge. The speedy midfielder had a touch pass to sophomore midfielder Linda Cobano, who was able to tap it past the keeper for her second goal of the day.

Rutgers was able to cut its deficit in half in the fourth quarter, but it wasn't enough as Maryland held on for a 2-1 victory.

In just her eighth game playing in the NCAA, the sophomore transfer from Germany has been a crucial piece of the offense. In Maryland’s last victory over Princeton, Cobano totaled a career-high two goals.

Cobano continued her offensive showcase today, matching her career-high in goals and also adding on five shots. She now has a team-high six goals on the season.

Maryland's suffocating defense was able to turn steals into quick attacking opportunities, leading to Cobano’s first goal of the afternoon. In the eighth minute, after junior captain Bodil Keus ripped a pass from near midfield inside the circle, Cobano was able to corral the rebound and put it into the back of the net to take a 1-0 lead.

The Terps were able to keep the ball in Rutgers’ territory for the majority of the game, allowing for a ton of offensive chances, while limiting the Scarlet Knights’ offense.

But even with an abundance of pressure on the Rutgers defense, the Terps weren’t able to capitalize as much as they could have. In the second quarter, they were awarded four straight corners, but they couldn’t tack on any insurance goals on any of them.

The Scarlet Knights also missed out on scoring opportunities, as they were unable to convert on back-to-back penalty corners in the 24th minute. The Maryland defense was able to stand tall after a diving save by senior keeper Noelle Frost and goal line clearance by Keus.

And while Rutgers was able to shorten Maryland’s lead to 2-1 with a goal off a penalty corner rebound in the 47th minute, Cobano’s goals would put the Terps on top.

Three things to know

1. The Terps continued their dominance against Rutgers. Since entering the Big Ten, Maryland has never lost to the Scarlet Knights and it kept that streak alive today. In the five meetings since 2014 before today, Maryland had won by at least two goals each time. Saturday's game was decided by just one goal, but the Terps remained on top.
2. Maryland had a strong second half start. Entering the second half, the Terps and Scarlet Knights had very similar stats. At the end of the first half, both teams had three shots on goal, although Maryland possessed a 1-0 lead. However, in the third quarter, the Terps turned it up a notch. Maryland posted five total shots, including three on goal and the eventual goal to put itself up 2-0.
3. Getting it done without penalty corners. A key to Maryland’s offense this season has been drawing and converting on corners. The Terps have drawn 95 corners through 10 games, including eight in today’s game. However, in this Big Ten showcase, the Terps weren’t able to score on any of the corners, but they still provided enough offense for the victory.