The only thing standing between Maryland field hockey and first place in the Big Ten was the No. 1 team in the country. An early first-quarter goal gave momentum to the Terps over Northwestern, but the nation’s top team reestablished its dominance in the second half.
The third quarter struggles that have haunted the Terps popped up again. Northwestern scored two goals in the frame to take the lead and shut the Maryland (8-6, 4-3 Big Ten) offense down en route to a 2-1 victory.
The Wildcats (13-1, 5-0 Big Ten) entered Sunday as the clear top team in the Big Ten – and arguably the country.
“I said do not measure this game by the outcome, measure it by the content and the level of competition against the very best team,” head coach Missy Meharg said.
Coach Tracey Fuchs has led her program to four straight national championship game appearances, including two titles in 2021 and 2024. The Wildcats have scored nearly twice as many goals as the Terps, with 45 compared to 23, and have only allowed six goals.Along the way, they have posted a five-game winning streak over Maryland. A lot of teams have struggled against Northwestern, but even when the Terps have had elite teams over the past five years, they have been unable to vanquish the Wildcats.
[In shocking upset, No. 10 Maryland field hockey loses to Indiana 2-1 in shootouts]
Despite both teams repping a top-10 ranking, it looked like a lopsided matchup coming in. Maryland’s struggling offense was now faced with the best defense in the country.
But playing the No. 1 team in the country, seemed to heighten the Terps’ urgency. Maryland looked like the better team through thirty minutes of play, highlighted by Djuna Eikelboom’s first-quarter goal. The Terps recorded seven first half shots, and controlled possession for most of the half.
Their defense displayed its usual dominance, as it held the potent Northwestern offense to zero shots on goal in the first half.
But Northwestern’s urgency was evident after the break. Maddie Zimmer earned the first penalty shot against the Terps this season — and scored the game tying goal.
[Maryland field hockey’s second half offense has been elite this season]
The Wildcats established themselves in the third quarter, flipping the game into their style. For a team that has rarely trailed this season, Northwestern looked comfortable in the final 17 minutes with the lead.
“They pressed up their press and got tighter,” Meharg said. “At that juncture, you’ve got to reshape around deeper but also throw a bit more balls.”
Maryland only attempted one fourth quarter shot — even with an extra attacker after replacing Klebasko with five and a half minutes to go. The Wildcats extended their winning streak over Maryland to six games and reminded the Big Ten that they’re still the class of the conference.
“This team could win the national championship. We [put] ourselves in a place to measure that in the first and second quarter and parts of the fourth, we’re in a good place to play the best,” Meharg said.
