After Friday’s rainout, it was fitting for No. 9 Maryland field hockey to play some extra field hockey. Following a thrilling contest in regulation that featured nine total shots and seven saves in just the fourth quarter, neither team could break the 3-3 tie that held for the entire fourth frame.
The deadlock held for one more period in overtime, before forward Bibi Donraadt played hero forty-nine seconds into the second overtime period.
Donraadt drove the ball up the shooting circle and shot the ball through Saint Joseph’s goalie Robin Bleekemolen’s legs to secure a 4-3 season opening win for the Terps.
Her game-winning score was just the second time Donraadt’s services provided new life for Maryland. The first instance came near the end of the first overtime period on the defensive side of the pitch. Saint Joseph’s looked to have scored the game winning goal, but Donraadt came running into the goal and swiped the ball out of the cage before the ball crossed the white line.
“I’m pretty new to the more defensive role of field hockey,” Donraadt said. “I have worked hard on my defense and went to Germany last fall which is big in defensive hockey and I worked a lot with the coaches which is maybe why Missy trusted me with a more defensive role in overtime.”
Today’s overtime game was the Terps first since 2019. The game went back-and-forth with the Terps taking the lead before the Hawks tied the game.
“We are a good team, but they found a way to win and that’s what is most important,” head coach Missy Meharg said. “Winning a double overtime situation propels your season. You are not going to play for a national championship without doing this 4-6 times…so we just practice it all.”
The Hawks attacked early, earning three penalty corners in the first three minutes. But Terps goalie Noelle Frost stopped every shot. Frost finished the game with seven saves.
A little over 10 minutes into the game, the Terps got their first major break. Midfielder Kyler Greenwalt sent the ball across the shooting circle over to midfielder Emma DeBerdine who tapped the ball past Bleekemolen to take a 1-0 lead.
The Hawks tied the game a few minutes later with a goal by forward Manu Ghigliotti off their fifth penalty corner of the game.
The Terps earned their first penalty corner thirty-eight seconds into the second quarter and converted. Donraadt dished the ball perfectly to midfielder Nathalie Fiecheter who placed it for Taylor Mason who finished the neat play with a tidy strike to put Maryland up 2-1.
Nearly six minutes later, Hawks midfielder Cassidy Atchison scored to tie the game at 2-2 off a penalty corner rebound.
In the beginning of the third quarter, forward Margot Lawn scored her first goal as a Terp when she received an assist from none other than Donraadt and placed the ball just inside the near post to give the Terps a 3-2 lead.
With less than a minute left in the third quarter, Hawks midfielder Celeste Smits tipped in a loose ball to tie the game again at 3-3.
Defender Riley Donnelly, Emma DeBerdine and forward Hope Rose arrived back from Chile with their 3rd place victory in the Junior Pan American Cup on Saturday with one hour to spare before today’s match.
“It was a great opportunity for me to play with the U.S. U-22 team, but being with Maryland is my favorite thing,” DeBerdine said. “I made sure I was sleeping on the plane and made sure I was ready to get into the game as soon as possible. It’s just a great feeling to get out and be playing with my team again.”
Next weekend, the Terps travel to Durham, North Carolina for the Big 10/ACC Cup. The Terps will play No. 7 Boston College on Sept. 3 at 3 p.m. and No. 12 Duke at 2 p.m. on Sept. 5.
