With a three game winning streak, No. 4 Maryland field hockey (12-5, B1G 3-4) is peaking at the right time. The Terps will close out the regular season at the Field Hockey and Women’s Lacrosse Complex against No. 24 Ohio State (7-9, B1G 1-6) on Friday at 6 p.m. 

The Terps earned their best win of the season on Sunday, upsetting No. 2 Michigan, 2-1, for their first top ten win of the season.

“And winning it [against Michigan] we all just felt that bond of wanting to win championships and like the love of the game,” goalie Noelle Frost said. 

The bond formed after the team’s big upset win has also boosted the team’s confidence with the start of the Big Ten Tournament less than a week away. 

“I feel like it took us a bit longer than we would like [to establish a connection],” midfielder Kyler Greenwalt said. “Now we are actually starting to have the connection between everyone and between the positions. We are obviously heating up at the right time.”  

The newfound connection is especially present on the defensive end, where the Terps defense is marking attackers at a high level — a habit that will bode well for the Terps if it carries over into tournament play. 

“Defenders Maura Verleg, Rayne Wright, Riley Donnelly and Nathalie Fiechter all mark lights out,” head coach Missy Meharg said. “That’s the piece we are doing better at right now.” 

Terps goalie Noelle Frost had a huge game on Sunday saving six shots earning Solomon Eye Associates Terp of the Week, Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, and National Defensive Player of the Week.

For a team that has struggled for consistency all throughout its 2021 campaign, a trusted, veteran stalwart in Frost might be precisely what the team needs in the postseason to anchor an increasingly impressive defense.  

“I’m excited to see what will happen in the coming weeks,” Frost said. 

While the Terps are playing their best hockey of the season, the Buckeyes hope to snap their four game losing streak and earn their first win ever against Maryland. 

The Buckeyes have been shutout in three of their last four matches and are finishing up a daunting stretch of five straight conference matches against top ten teams on Friday. 

The Buckeyes have struggled scoring goals, scoring 23 goals all season, the lowest in the Big Ten. Buckeyes midfielder Leanne Bough leads the team with five goals. Additionally, the Buckeyes have also only drawn 75 penalty corners which is also the lowest in the conference. 

The Buckeyes goalies Aaliyah Hernandez and Abby Danson have split time in goal saving 81 shots combined but have allowed 32 goals combined.