No. 11 Maryland field hockey sophomore AJ Eyre quickly caught possession from her fellow forwards.
With six minutes left until the end of the game, the sophomore midfielder swung her stick with a clear look on goal, but the ball was headed off target.
Forward Ella Gaitan quickly took action, using the shaft of her stick to knock the ball to the back-center of the net to double the Terps’ lead.
“[Eyre]’s always eager,” Maryland head coach Missy Meharg said. “She’s very on the front foot, her energy is always positive,
so it couldn’t happen for her at a better time.”
Eyre and Gaitan’s offensive teamwork solidified Maryland’s 2-0 victory over the Spartans in East Lansing, Michigan.
Sunday’s win was Maryland’s first one of the season away from the Plex.
Maryland advanced towards the shooting circle in just the first 90 seconds. Freshman Jordyn Hollamon weaved around the Spartans in an attempt to shoot but was ultimately unsuccessful.
Maryland earned three penalty corners across just 15 seconds of play, where five different Terps attempted to swing towards the goal. The first three attempts were blocked by the Spartans’ defensive line, while Spartan goalkeeper Lyra Gavino collapsed on top of the other two.
The Terps continued to pressure throughout the opening quarter. Maci Bradford broke away after a turnover but missed above the net. Bradford’s pass across to Jordyn Hollamon on a penalty corner soon after, saw a shot blocked by Michigan State’s defenders.
Maryland’s fifth corner of the day came with six minutes left of the first quarter. Bradford took a familiar position along the baseline. She passed to a teammate who stopped the ball at the top of the shooting circle, setting the ball up for Jordyn Hollamon to attempt to score. Hollamon lined up for the shot, but met Gavino in the cage.
Maci Bradford received a short pass from Ella Gaitan just a minute later. Bradford passed to her left, finding freshman Jordyn Hollamon. The forward chipped the ball past Gavino, notching Maryland’s first goal of the game.
“I was just there in the right spot at the right time,” Hollamon told Big Ten Network after the game.
With eight minutes left in the first half, Michigan State rallied towards Maryland’s shooting circle for the first time with eight minutes left until the half.
Spartans forward Tatum Johnson pushed towards Maryland goalkeeper Alyssa Klebasko, but instead met Josie Hollamon and Maryland’s defensive wall. Josie Hollamon fished the ball away and knocked it across the field.
Michigan State’s offensive struggles continued, with Caroline Horace taking her team’s first shot of the game with only 30 seconds left of the half. Her wide-left shot closed the quarter, leaving Maryland in the lead.
The Terps opened the second half with possession. But after limited success in the attacking front, the Terps slowed their pace, spending time possessing the ball with their defenders on the midline.
Maryland eventually drew their 10th corner about halfway through the third quarter. Djuna Eikelboom lunged, swinging the ball across to Josie Hollamon’s stick. Hollamon’s shot skipped a few Spartan sticks before veering off target again.
Michigan State attempted to counter, but the Terps defended, allowing Jordyn Hollamon to take off the other way with no Spartans in sight.
She shot towards the center of the goal, but the ball hit Gavino’s chestplate for the goalkeeper’s 10th save of the game.
Heading in the other direction, Michigan State carefully passed around Maryland defenders towards its shooting circle, eventually earning its first penalty corner of the game. Maryland only gave up three penalty corners in the entire game.
Lawlor swung right down the middle of the circle, but Terps’ goalkeeper Alyssa Klebasko earned her first save of the game by knocking it clear of the net, closing the third quarter.
Michigan State’s best offensive action came two minutes into the fourth quarter. Caroline Horace pushed through Maryland sticks to earn a penalty corner, but Klebasko blocked both of Lawlor’s shots in the net.
“[Klebasko]’s outstanding,” Meharg said. “She’s very simple and very smart with the game. She had to make three very important saves, and she made all of them.”
With seven minutes to go, Spartan midfielder Mora Cavazza broke through Maryland’s midfield line and faced Klebasko in a one-on-on battle. Klebasko vacated the goal, kicking the ball out of bounds to limit, closing the game and solidifying Maryland’s shut out.
Three things to know
1. Eyre in the clutch. The sophomore’s major assist in the fourth quarter marked the first of her collegiate career.
2. Big Ten top dogs. Maryland has won the most games in the Big Ten Conference so far, with three victories.
3. Maintaining offensive control. The Terps took 25 total shots during the game, while limiting the Spartans to just six. Maryland took 12 shots in the first quarter alone, all of which were unanswered.
