Hoosiers’ goalie Arabella Loveridge set up to save midfielder Leah Crouse’s shot late in the first quarter. Instead, Crouse delivered a pass to midfielder Bibi Donraadt, who was left all alone to tap it in and treat herself to a birthday goal.
Along with Donraadt, four other players scored as No. 2 Maryland field hockey (12-1, B1G 6-0) trounced Indiana (8-6, B1G 1-3), 5-1, extending their winning streak to five.
Maryland remains the only undefeated team in conference play.
Maryland was all over Indiana early, dominating possession from the start, but did not find their first goal until the ninth minute.
Loveridge stopped the first two shots on a penalty corner, but on the third chance, midfielder Emma DeBerdine punched it in, giving the Terps the lead, which they kept for the rest of the game.
“I think our ball patterns and our technical skills dominated,” head coach Missy Meharg said.
After Donraadt’s goal, Maryland showed off their offensive burst near the end of the first half, scoring twice in 45 seconds. Defender Riley Donnelly scored off a penalty corner, and then the Terps scored in transition.
“I think we did a good job with just getting our balls into the circle and to the forwards,” DeBerdine said. “We’ve had a lot of forwards really step up.”
One of those forwards who stepped up was Margot Lawn.
Midfielder Sophie Klautz stole the ball away, creating a fast break opportunity for midfielder Belle Bressler and Lawn running up the pitch. Lawn collected the ball, poking it through Loveridge’s legs and putting Maryland up, 4-0, before halftime.
“The 50-50 balls could be a problem for us, and I thought Maryland was exceptional,” Meharg said. “Anything that was an unforced error on their part, we settled it and made a pass.”
The Hoosiers recorded their first shot of the game less than a minute before halftime off a penalty corner. The Hoosiers lifted a strike into the air, and the ball sailed behind goalie Paige Kieft and hit the board, making it a 4-1 game at halftime.
Maryland outshot Indiana 34-2, with the Hoosiers’ only shots coming in the final few minutes of each half.
Midfielder Nathalie Fiechter scored her first goal of the season, deflecting Donnelly’s shot on a penalty corner into the air and into the net, making it 5-1.
Loveridge had a career game finishing the game with 18 saves. Loveridge shattered her previous career high of eight in just one half.
With a big lead, Maryland inserted some of their reserves into the game late in the third quarter allowing their starters to rest more as the Terps chase the No. 1 seed and first-round bye in the Big Ten Tournament.
“It would be huge,” DeBerdine said. “I don’t think we’ve gone undefeated in the Big 10 since I’ve been here, so that would be a really exciting time for us to show that we are playing at such a high level.”
