Head coach Missy Meharg couldn’t have dreamt up a better start for No. 2 Maryland field hockey.
On an uncharacteristically warm fall afternoon in College Park, the Terps came out hot, scoring not one, not two, but three tallies in the opening frame against No. 9 Iowa. The otherworldly first quarter was all the Terps needed en route to a 5-1 victory to wrap up the regular season.
Friday’s opening quarter was arguably Maryland’s most impressive of the season, as the Terps annihilated one of the Big Ten’s
premier squads. Not only did Maryland hold Iowa shotless – a remarkable feat considering the Hawkeyes’ offensive prowess – but it also forced a goalie change, as Abby Johnson relieved Julia Claessens in net for the road team.
Meharg attributed the success to attacking penalty corners, on which the Terps scored twice in the first quarter.
“The team has been doing penalty corners really well in training this week. We probably doubled the amount of time we spent on them this week,” said Meharg. “Really happy that the work pays off and the detail of all those skills.”
The initial goal came less than 90 seconds in as freshman Ella Beach powered past a quartet of Hawkeyes and found senior Maci Bradford all alone in the center of the circle. Bradford made sure to validate her teammate’s hard work with a lofted shot to the back of the net to earn the advantage.
While the crowd was still finding its bearings, Maryland doubled up. On the Terps’ first set piece of the match, Francisca Eschoyez ripped a rocket from the top of the circle for her 10th goal of the season to make it 2-0 just 3:25 past first hit.
The goal put Eschoyez into sole possession of first place for the team lead in goals. After a breakout 2025 season that saw her win Big East Offensive Player of the Year at Quinnipiac, Eschoyez has transitioned seamlessly to power conference play.
Eschoyez wasn’t finished in the first period. With just over three minutes left in the quarter, the junior notched her second goal of the match off a penalty corner to make it a trio of goals for the Terps in just the opening 15 minutes.
The second quarter was an improvement for the Hawkeyes, as they held the Terps shotless. However, the Hawkeyes squandered a few prime chances to slice the deficit and entered halftime still trailing by three. On one occasion, Dionne van Aalsum broke loose past a few defenders but lost her footing and fired a shot directly at Alyssa Klebasko, who cleanly made the stop.
Prior to the first hit, van Aalsum and her teammate Fréderique van Cleef sat first in the Big Ten in goals. Maryland held them to a combined seven shots and no goals, a massive victory for the Terps’ back line.
“We have been practicing the diamond, so keeping the shape. Also, the tackling and the one-v-ones,” said Eschoyez. “I think we were ready for this game, and I’m really happy that we were able to shut them down.”
Iowa maintained the positive momentum from the second quarter and soared out of the halftime break with a quick goal. The Hawkeyes had three penalty corners within the first two minutes of the third quarter, and after two failures, the third time was the charm. Klebasko made the initial stop with a lunging save, but Jordan Byers was at the right spot at the right time to slot home the rebound, cutting the Terps’ lead to 3-1.
The good vibes wouldn’t last much longer for Iowa, as Bradford flipped home another goal for a brace just three minutes later. The goal came off a penalty corner reminiscent of her game-winner against then-No. 4 Wake Forest on Sept. 20. She finished the contest with two goals and two assists for six points.
Before the third quarter concluded, Beach added her second goal of the affair, redirecting an Eschoyez shot off a penalty corner. It was the Terps’ fourth score from a corner in seven tries.
“It was a total team effort,” said Bradford. “We were so gritty inside the circle, and it was our last regular season game, so we just wanted to come out and make a statement before the Big Ten Tournament.”
Maryland will be the No. 2 seed in the Big Ten Tournament that starts Wednesday in Columbus, Ohio. The Terps will face either the Michigan Wolverines or the hosts, the Ohio State Buckeyes. First hit on Wednesday is set for 2 p.m. EST and can be found on Big Ten Plus.
Three things to know:
- Maci money. Maci Bradford has registered a goal or an assist in 13 of Maryland’s 17 games. Today was her second six-point outing of the season.
- Monster mash. Maryland has now won six of its seven conference games by three or more goals.
- Excellent efficiency. Maryland scored on five of its 11 shots on Friday, continuing a trend of accuracy and efficiency over the past month.
