By: Andrew Diveley
As a bobbled ball bounced in front of the opposing net, Maryland freshman Ella Gaitan contained the ball and slotted it to the left of Boston College’s goal keeper Charlotte Kramer. Not even two minutes into the game, Maryland struck early with Gaitan’s first career goal, giving the Terps an immediate 1-0 lead over Boston College.
The early goal set the tone of the match, propelling No. 4 Maryland to a 2-0 win over No. 17 Boston College, Friday afternoon.
There were many opportunities in the first quarter for both teams, as the Terps’ Alyssa Klebasko and the Eagles’ Kramer each claimed a save within the first eight minutes. The seven minutes following were without a shot from either team due to ferocious defense from both sides. Maryland seemed to be in full control of the game, keeping the majority of the possession throughout the rest of the quarter.
The offensive struggles continued for Boston College in the second quarter, as they failed to take a single shot. Despite its offensive prowess, Maryland was unable to capitalize on any of its five shots that quarter as well.
One reason for Maryland’s lack of scores was Kramer’s play inside the cage. Kramer came up big in the 27th minute stopping a crucial 3-on-1 attack from the Terrapin offense stopping Maci Bradford’s shot, keeping the score 1-0 for the Terps headed into the half.
At the start of the third quarter, the Eagles would finally take a shot in the 31st minute, marking their first shot since the sixth minute. That was the only shot the Terps would give up in the quarter.
The Terps maintained their high-pressure offense in the third quarter, creating multiple chances to score. Maryland cashed in on one of those chances thanks to sophomore Maya Everett. Everett showcased incredible skill as she dribbled past three Eagles defenders, delivering a powerful finish, scoring the first goal of her career in the 37th minute. The goal put Maryland up by two.
Boston College increased its offensive ferocity at the start of the fourth quarter, attempting two penalty corners in the 46th minute. The Eagles took three shots within the minute to keep Maryland’s defense on its heels.
Maryland struggled to gain any meaningful possession until the 52nd minute, when Boston College’s Yani Zhong received a green card, providing a brief moment for the Terps to regain momentum.
In the 54th minute, Boston College earned their fourth penalty corner, creating a very tense moment for the Terps. A powerful shot by the Eagles’ Laila Rosenquest was met with an outstanding save by Klebasko, who laid out to deny the goal. Boston College immediately followed up with another corner, and Klebasko came through once again, deflecting a shot off the stick of Boston College’s Peyton Hale to keep the Eagles off the board. Klebasko’s quick reflexes kept Maryland’s defense intact during a critical stretch of the game.
The Terps remain undefeated, and now hold a 15-3 all-time series record against the Eagles. Maryland plans to keep their momentum as they take on No. 5 Duke this upcoming Sunday.
