No. 10 Maryland field hockey (5-2) will continue Big Ten play against No. 12 Michigan (5-2) on Friday and then face off in a non-conference matchup against No. 8 Princeton (4-2) on Sunday. The Terps will try to keep a three-game win streak and 5-0 home record alive.
Maryland started off Big Ten play strong with a dominating performance over Penn State. The Terps used a strong offense and suffocating defense to win 3-1 in the Big Ten opener.
The Terps lost to both the Wolverines and the Tigers last year. Maryland will look to get back in the win column against both teams and break a three-game losing streak against Princeton this weekend.
Michigan Preview
Michigan (5-2, 1-0 B1G) defeated Michigan State for its first conference win last Friday, before falling to James Madison on Sunday. First-year head coach Krisiti Gannon Fisher and her Wolverines started the season with a loss to No. 2 North Carolina, but they went on a five-game win streak, including a ranked win over now No. 13 Wake Forest.
The Wolverines’ offense is led by graduate student Abby Tamer and junior Juliette Manzur, who each have 12 points on the season. Tamer leads the team with five goals, while Manzur leads the team with four assists. Michigan’s offense also has incredible depth, with six other Wolverines scoring multiple goals.
Michigan has outscored opponents 26-9 this year, inflated by a 13-goal performance in a blowout win over Bellarmine. The Wolverines have taken 142 shots so far this year, with 74 being shots on goal. Michigan has also attempted 66 penalty corners this year, which will be a key against Maryland which hasn’t given up many penalty corners to its opponents.
The Wolverines utilize two goalkeepers: sophomore Hala Silverstein and graduate student Caylie McMahon, who split the playing time. Silverstein has played 210 minutes this season, while McMahon has played just under 207, as Michigan went with an empty net in the closing minutes of the loss to James Madison. Silverstein has made six saves while allowing five goals, while McMahon has made nine saves while allowing four goals.
Michigan has struggled at times against top competition, with a 1-2 record and a negative four-goal differential against ranked teams. Maryland will be the highest-ranked team the Wolverines have faced since their opener loss to North Carolina.
Princeton Preview
Princeton is 4-2 on the year, and 1-0 in Ivy League play. Former Maryland alum and national championship winner, Carla Tagliente, coaches the Tigers. After starting the season 1-0, Princeton lost back-to-back games to North Carolina and Syracuse.
Princeton is led by senior midfielder Beth Yeager, a 2024 United States Olympic team member who started every matchup in the Paris games. Yeager leads the Tigers with four goals and four assists for 12 points on the season. She is an All-American, three-time Ivy League offensive player of the year and the 2022 Mid-Atlantic Player of the Year.
The Tigers also have an incredible defense. Princeton has not allowed a goal in its last three games, including a ranked win over No. 19 Rutgers. The Tigers have only allowed five goals this season and look to use that strength to contain the Terps’ offense, which lacks firepower.
Goalkeeper Olivia Caponiti anchors Princeton’s defense and has made 15 saves on the season.
Will Maryland Keep Dominating?
The Terps have won three straight and are coming off an absolutely dominating performance against Penn State. Maryland will now face its two toughest opponents since losing to Boston College and Duke.
Maryland will need to limit the number of penalty corners given. Michigan is very good at drawing them, while Princeton can struggle at times to get the offense going.
The Terps will also look to continue their offensive momentum against a Princeton defense that has been on lockdown lately.
