No. 10 Maryland field hockey (2-2) looks to get back on track following a winless weekend in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. On Friday, the Terps will face off against Penn (1-1) and No. 13 Saint Joseph’s (2-1) in College Park for the annual Terrapin Invitational.
Maryland is coming off a disappointing three-day stretch. The Terps fell to No. 4 Boston College and No. 6 Duke, scoring just one goal in those games.
While its losing streak to Duke remains intact, Maryland looks to stay undefeated all-time against Penn and Saint Joseph’s.
For Penn first-year head coach Scott Tupper, the Terrapin Invitational is a homecoming. Before taking over at Penn, Tupper spent four years on Missy Meharg’s coaching staff at Maryland, two of which came as assistant head coach. During the four-year span, the Terps were 64-24 and won a Big Ten Championship.
Penn Preview
Penn comes into Friday’s contest looking for a ranked win, after it lost to No. 2 North Carolina in its first game and then beat Old Dominion, 4-2. The Quakers are led by Julia Ryan, who has netted a team-high two goals and four points.
The Penn offense has been very effective so far this season, scoring six goals in just two games and generating 16 shots — 12 of which were on goal.
Five different Quakers have scored this season, with an additional four assisting on those goals. Sydney Mandato leads Penn with four of Penn’s seven total assists on the year.
Penn’s defense has been a different story. The Quakers have conceded eight goals, including six in one game against North Carolina. They have also allowed 27 shots, 23 of which were on goal. With Maryland’s offense putting more than half of its shots on goal through four games, Penn will have its hands full.
Saint Joseph’s Preview
Saint Joseph’s is coming off a 2-1 loss in overtime against Penn State. The Hawks are led by Ava Smith, the team’s top goalscorer, who has scored in back-to-back games.
The Hawks’ defense is bolstered by outstanding goalie play from Paige Kieft. Kieft transferred to Saint Joseph’s after spending four years with Maryland. She made 19 starts in her 28 appearances for the Terps.
Kieft has made 17 saves on the 20 shots on goal that have come her way this season, including three stops in a penalty shootout win over No. 16 UConn.
The Hawks will have a chance to boost their resume on the season in a big way against the Terps. After Maryland, Saint Joseph’s won’t play another ranked team until No. 9 Liberty in October.
Will Maryland be able to get its offense going?
Maryland has struggled mightily on offense lately, especially against Duke and Boston College. The Terps only scored once over those two matches and struggled to gain any consistent momentum.
The Terps only managed seven shots on goal over their winless two-game stretch and went 0-10 on penalty corners against Boston College in their shutout defeat.
Against a defense like Penn that has struggled this year, especially against high-ranked teams, Maryland will look to establish its offense and carry that into another ranked matchup against No. 13 Saint Joseph’s. The Terps look to claim their first ranked win of the season.
