Conference play may be over, but No. 11 Maryland field hockey’s regular season isn’t quite done.
Even though the Terps punched their Big Ten Tournament ticket after beating Rutgers on Friday, they now shift
their focus to NCAA Tournament seeding. Maryland hits the road for yet another ranked match-up, this time against No. 4 Virginia.
The Terps and the Cavaliers will face off Tuesday in Charlottesville, Virginia, on ACC Network at 6 p.m.
No. 4 Virginia Cavaliers (12-1, 6-1 ACC)
2024 Record: (14-5, 6-2 ACC)
There’s been space on Virginia’s shelf for a trophy since last fall. The Cavaliers were promising conference championship contenders until Syracuse halted their post-season run in the first round.
They saw a bit more success in the NCAA championship, that is, until Northwestern knocked them out of the tournament quarterfinals before pillaging the trophy for themselves.
With head coach Ole Keusgen steering the ship, Virginia returned this season, and it isn’t relinquishing another trophy without a battle.
Players to watch
Mia Abello, junior defender, No. 2 – Abello spent January with the U.S. Women’s National team, earning her first International cap in a match against New Zealand. Now, the junior DI watchlist member leads Virginia in shots-on-goal and points. Abello also leads the Cavaliers in goals with five, two of which were game-winners.
Suze Leemans, graduate midfielder, No. 13 – Before her time at Virginia began, Leemans competed at Utrecht University in Utrecht, Netherlands, where she played in the Dutch national championships. Last season — her first as a Cavalier — the midfielder earned an All-ACC first-team nod and scored a game-winning goal against Maryland.
Leemans is tied for first on the team in assists after completing one in Virginia’s last win against Louisville.
Nilou Lempers, junior goalkeeper, No. 20 – Lempers has started every game in the cage this season. The goalkeeper leads the ACC in saves with 52 and ranks second in saves per game at 3.75. In the Cavaliers’ game against Louisville, Lempers posted her seventh shutout of the season, recording six saves.
Strength
Defensive balance. Across 12 games, Virginia’s opponents have only scored six total goals. The Cavaliers have shut out eight teams so far, limiting their opponents to just four shots on goal per game on average. As the Cavaliers crowd the shooting circle to deflect the ball, the Terps will have to break through the attack zone with a plan in place. Miscalculated efforts will only result in the ball flying from Maryland’s possession.
Weakness
Roster youth. Like the Terps, the Cavaliers are a team of fresh blood. Ten players graduated or transferred away from Virginia at the end of last season. Nine freshmen and a transfer student unfamiliar with the team’s play style or communication took their place. Virginia and Maryland are in similar positions, as both teams are still learning how to best play with their fellow players.
Three things to know
1. Old foes. Maryland and Virginia have a storied rivalry history. The two programs first played one another in October 1999, and the Terps beat the Cavaliers, 3-2. Since then, Maryland has won 25 of the 31 matchups. However, over the past two matchups, Virginia has shut out Maryland. The Terps will look to shut down this win streak Tuesday and begin one of their own.
2. A Terrapin tradition. Virginia assistant coach Alyssa Parker Rosenblum played for Maryland between 2013 and 2016. Parker Rosenblum played in Maryland’s final ACC Tournament in 2013, where the Terps took home the conference title one last time.
3. National ambassadors. Abello and her teammate, Mary Adams, will join Maryland’s Josie Hollamon, Maci Bradford and Alyssa Klebasko to play for the United States in the Junior World Cup. The tournament starts Dec. 1 in Santiago, Chile.
