A year ago, Maryland women’s basketball allowed a season-low 32 points to UMBC in its opener. The Terps managed to top that defensive performance in their first game of the 2025 campaign.
Maryland’s diverse athleticism and length was apparent in its 80-26 win over Loyola at Xfinity Center on Monday. Loyola’s 26 points were the fewest allowed under coach Brenda Frese and the program’s lowest since 1974. It’s the third-fewest in program history.
All offseason, Frese talked about her players’ ability to play all corners of the court. Her words proved prudent in the first game.
Senior Saylor Poffenbarger was the lone returner in Monday’s starting lineup. Lea Bartelme, Oluchi Okananwa, Isimenme Ozzy-Momodu, and Yarden Garzon started the game, displaying the Terps’ newfound depth.
“I loved seeing how we came out. I thought we weren’t afraid of the moment and we came out really strong and aggressive. We were able to see the depth that we have,” Frese said.
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True freshman Mayra Boiko and Addi Mack were the game’s first substitutions. The two freshmen were a part of an impressive 2025 class that Frese has said will play a significant role in the rotation.
The longtime coach was impressed with her team’s defensive intensity during their exhibition game against Point Park on Oct. 30. That carried over into the season-opener, as the Terps grabbed 18 steals and 39 rebounds.
Poffenbarger looked much more comfortable in her second year in Frese’s defensive system. Using her height to intercept Loyola passes, she was able to consistently take control of the back court and force turnovers.
The seven new players on the roster played a significant amount of minutes, most notably the freshman. Lea Bartelme started at point guard — a vacancy left by graduate Shyanne Sellers. The freshman from Slovenia worked the ball around the floor, displaying a unique level of maturity for a freshman.
“I mean through practices we are [getting to know] each other every day. We are making progress each day. So I think just like having those reps it’s like helping us,” Bartelme said.
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Another freshman, Addi Mack, led the second team, controlling the flow of possession for Maryland. The Minnesota native is significantly smaller than the rest on the hardwood, but her speed gives her a significant advantage.
No play exemplified that more than the final play of the first half. With 17 seconds left, Mack quickly drove through the paint, pushing towards the basket before getting fouled. Her quickness adds a different element to Maryland’s offense — similar to former point guard Sarah Te-Biasu.
“We have a lot of options, you know,” Frese said. “There’s going to be a lot of games coming up, so we’re really kind of still working through what those rotations are going to look like.”
In a game that Maryland led by only seven points in the first quarter, the Terps quickly pulled away. The Greyhounds totaled ten points over the next two quarters.
The Terps’ woman-to-woman coverage kept Loyola antsy. Maryland forced 29 turnovers with deflections and pressure.
“We played to get better in every possession, every quarter, and we were really locked in. We were able to change things up,” Frese said. “I thought when we were able to shift some things between full court to half court, a little bit of zone, they were really locked in together.”
