No. 10 Maryland field hockey came into its matchup against No. 12 Michigan with something to prove. The Terps came in winning three in a row, but need to prove themselves in their first true Big Ten test. 

Friday was a heavily defensive contest, both teams grinded for any little offense that they could come up with. 

It took 38 minutes for either team to break through, but Maryland was able to score the lone goal as Ella Gaitan took a pass from Maci Bradford and snuck a shot past Michigan goalkeeper Hala Silverstein. That was all the Terps needed as they took down the Wolverines, 1-0. 

The Terps defense took it from there, suffocating a Wolverines’ offense that had averaged 3.71 goals per game through their first seven games of the season.

Both teams played very strong defense and it looked as if neither team would be able to establish offensive pressure. Throughout the first half, Maryland and Michigan combined for only three shots and one shot on goal.

“[The defense] give us confidence,” Maci Bradford said. “We also want to give them confidence by doing our job and we did that.”

Both teams started slowly to get things going on offense, working the ball around to get a feel for the opposing team. 

Maryland was the first to get some offensive pressure. The Terps pushed the ball down the field and earned themselves the first penalty corner of the game, but Maryland was unable to capitalize. The penalty corner was the only offensive opportunity for either team in a quarter where both teams tried to establish a rhythm. 

The second was much of the same. The Terps were awarded another penalty corner, but couldn’t utilize the chance. 

Midway through the second, Michigan got into Maryland’s shooting circle, but the Terps’ defense converged, suffocating the attack. Alyssa Klebasko was able to clear it away to take some pressure off the defense.

In a half without much offense on either side, Maryland wasn’t able to take advantage of a 4-0 penalty corner advantage — something that has hurt the Terps all season.

Coming out of halftime, Michigan’s offense showed some early life. But the Terps’ defense was able to preserve the scoreless tie as Klebasko stopped Maxine Rogge for her first save of the game.

The Terps used pressure to establish an offensive attack for the first time in the second half and used it to break the tie. 

The goal ramped things up as with under a minute remaining in the quarter, Michigan got its best chance of the game. Abby Tamer fired a shot, but Klebasko made an incredible save. Maryland got its own chance late, but time ran out in the third quarter.

Holding onto a lead in the fourth quarter, Maryland’s defense established a great presence. The Wolverines couldn’t get anything going.

Late in the fourth quarter, Michigan pulled its goalkeeper in a final push towards the Maryland goal. The Terps defense held strong just as they had all game and time expired on the Wolverines.

Maryland will face off in another ranked matchup, and the Terps will look to continue with its strong defense, as they take on No. 8 Princeton on Sunday.