In a game that featured 30 shots and 15 penalty corners combined, No. 7 Maryland field hockey (3-1) outlasted No. 21 UMass (4-1) to earn a 1-0 shutout victory in a mainly defensive battle. 

The Terps managed to break through about five minutes into the second quarter, when forward Margot Lawn weaved her way through UMass players in the circle. Lawn took a shot that defender Riley Donnelly deflected into the net to give the Terps a 1-0 lead. 

After two more scoreless quarters, Donnelly’s goal wound up being the game winner. 

“UMass is an incredible, very good team,” head coach Missy Meharg said. “I would have loved to score more goals since we took 23 shots.”

The UMass goalie, Marlise van Tonder, played up to her pedigree as an Olympian for South Africa. Van Tonder recorded nine saves including a few impressive diving saves. The Terps previously faced van Tonder when she was the goalie for Pacific in 2018, where she also caused problems for Maryland. 

“We knew it wasn’t going to be easy,” Meharg said. “[She’s] an Olympic level goalkeeper and she played just like that. I’m just happy we won 1-0.”

Two minutes after the Terps took the lead, UMass drove down the field and earned a string of four penalty corners. The Terps defense held up and stopped every shot. Terps goalie Noelle Frost picked up her only save of the match when she dove to save a UMass shot off a rebound. 

The Terps had numerous opportunities to extend their lead throughout the match. 

With 44 seconds left in the third quarter, the Terps earned their own string of three penalty corners but van Tonder continued her outstanding play and picked up two more saves. 

Penalty corner woes continue for the Terps. The Terps have not scored off of a penalty corner since their game against Boston College and are on a currently 0-16 penalty corner skid.

“I think we were getting them on cage but we need to frame the cage a little better,” midfielder Brooke DeBerdine said. 

UMass had another scoring opportunity in the middle of the third quarter when Minutewomen forward Dempsey Campbell drove the ball up in the field on a breakaway, but Terps defender Maura Verleg continued her stellar play and swiped the ball away from Campbell to protect the Terps 1-0 lead. 

The Terps will face Cal on Sunday at 2 p.m. to finish off the Terrapin Invitational.