No. 11 Maryland field hockey has faced plenty of ups and downs this season.
It hasn’t lost more than seven games in a regular season since 1989 — coach Missy Meharg’s second year at the helm. The Terps failed to advance in the NCAA tournament last season for the first time since 2015, and earned just one Big Ten tournament victory in a shootout against Iowa.
The 2024 season was not up to the team’s standard, and the Terps are struggling to regain form once again. Even with that, they are second in the Big Ten and are looking to turn their offensive flashes into results in the postseason.
A wide open Big Ten
Game to game, it’s impossible to know what version of Maryland shows up.
The Terps held a lead for 30 minutes against the nation’s No. 2 team, but failed to score after the opening minute against other opponents.
With all the parity in the Big Ten this season, it may not matter what seed the Terps earn. Either way, to avoid another early and heartbreaking defeat, Maryland needs to turn its flashes of greatness into 60 minutes of good hockey.
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“I’ve watched back the Virginia game, and we played some really good hockey, so that’s what I anticipate,” Meharg said. “I know we will form a defensive front.”
Outside of Northwestern dominating in conference play, the margin between the rest of the teams in the Big Ten is very slim. No. 17 Indiana and No. 10 Iowa started slow but have jumped in the standings, while No. 14 Michigan, No. 18 Rutgers and Ohio State have all lost three games in a row.
For Maryland, the question becomes if the offense will hold them back enough to lose the game, or if they can make enough timely plays to win.
“It’s just instilling belief that we can put the ball in the back of the net and that we can win games by them scoring goals rather than us playing really good defense,” defender Josie Hollamon said.
In two ranked victories on the road against Iowa and Rutgers — two possible first-round matchups — the offense did just enough. Two goals in a five-minute span to take the lead against the Hawkeyes and an overtime goal to break a scoreless tie against the Scarlet Knights proved the offense can break through.
The issue is only having one top 10 win in six tries, and consistently playing down to its competition. Losses to Ohio State and an Indiana team that was struggling despite scoring within the first minute highlight that.
In the postseason, lapses like that can cost Maryland its season.
A tough schedule can help
An argument can be made that the Terps are ready to break through.
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Maryland proved in its matchups against teams such as then-No. 1 Northwestern and No. 4 Virginia that it can hang with top teams for large portions of a game. The Terps outplayed the Wildcats in the first half and held the Cavaliers scoreless for 50 minutes while their offense generated good looks.
The Terps took four shots in the third quarter on Tuesday. They made several passes deep into the attacking circle that were lacking in previous games. But the goals didn’t come, as the nation’s top goalkeeper so far this season, Nilou Lempers, shut down the Terps and recorded six saves.
Maryland will not face as strong of a goalkeeper or defensive unit throughout the Big Ten tournament outside of a possible finals matchup against Northwestern, and every opponent they face will be a familiar one.
With such a young roster, the Terps are growing through mistakes against top competition in many players’ first collegiate seasons. And if they advance far enough in the NCAA tournament, they might have the chance to avenge previous non-conference losses against top-10 teams such as Princeton, Virginia or Duke.
The final regular season matchup against Northeastern on Sunday is the Terps’ last chance to correct their mistakes before it can cost them their season.
