With nine minutes left in the fourth quarter, No. 10 Maryland field hockey’s Annemijn Klijnhout saw freshman Feliz Kuhne standing to the right of the goalie. Klijnhout delivered a short pass to Kunhe, who launched the ball to the back of the net from more than 15 yards away.
Kuhne’s first goal of the season and of her collegiate career served as Friday’s game-winner against No. 16 Penn State, solidifying Maryland’s first Big Ten win, 3-1.
Maryland took the first possession of the game, with Maci Bradford
attempting a shot just 45 seconds after the open. The shot barely bounced off of the top post of the net, ringing in the Terps’ offensive dominance early in the match.
Penn State attempted the first penalty corner shot of the game. Led by goalkeeper Alyssa Klebasko, Maryland’s defenders pushed the Nittany Lions to the outer edge of the shooting circle after the insert.
Penn State attacker Ella Jennes shot the Nittany Lions’ only look of the quarter towards the bottom of the goal, but Klebasko swatted it away.
The Terps’ own chance at a penalty corner came only minutes after Penn State’s. After forward Maci Bradford’s insert, Ella Gaitan took a strong stroke towards the back of the goal. It was blocked by a Penn State stick, which sent the ball flying out of bounds.
After a video review, forward Maci Bradford took her stance at the baseline for another penalty corner.
She passed down the circle to forward Fleur Knopfert, who found captain Josie Hollamon to her right. With a clear look to the net, Hollamon struck the ball past Penn State’s goalkeeper to the base of the net, taking the lead at the end of the first quarter.
Maryland struggled with penalty corners during nonconference play but was able to capitalize on more opportunities during Friday’s matchup. According to head coach Missy Meharg, it all comes back to training.
“They’re training really hard,” Meharg said. In practice, they were able to “train at a certain level,” effectively replicating what they saw against Penn State.
During the second quarter, Maryland was unable to create the same success on penalty corners, missing its next five opportunities.
The third quarter began with a Penn State drive down the field. Alyssa Klebasko met a wide open look from Penn State with a swat out of bounds, recording her first and only save of the game.
Maryland’s defense played with fire under its feet throughout the entire game. The Terps held the Nittany Lions to a singular shot on goal for the entire game and only two shots overall.
Maryland earned two more chances to score in the third quarter via back-to-back penalty corners.
On the second attempt, Bradford lined up and passed to midfielder Annemijn Klinhout. Almost immediately, Klijnhout found freshman midfielder/defender Jordyn Hollamon, who shot over a pair of Penn State defenders to the back of the net.
Josie Hollamon, Jordyn Hollamon’s older sister, felt a wide range of emotions watching her sister succeed, especially when she reminisced on their younger days playing field hockey.
“We grew up in the backyard playing together, and now just to see her out here at the Division I level, making stuff happen for us, I mean, she is doing a great job,” Josie Hollamon said.
Meharg shared Josie Hollamon’s pride in Jordyn Hollamon, highlighting her offensive dominance in her first season as a true forward.
“The biggest thing is the way she swings,” said Meharg. “She’ll swing through anybody. If they’re in her way, she’ll contact the ball.”
In the final two minutes of the game, Penn State got on the board, with an over-the-shoulder shot over Klebasko’s head. With limited time and a defensive wall in front of them, the Nittany Lions were not able to answer the rest of Maryland’s goals, allowing the Terps to walk home with a victory.
Three things to know
1. A Hollamon tradition. Both Jordyn and Josie Hollamon scored a goal on Penn State as freshmen.
2. A helping hand. With one completed assist today, Maci Bradford leads the team in assists, outpacing her teammates by at least two.
3. Repeating history. Exactly six years and one day ago, Maryland beat Penn State at home with the same exact score, 3-1.
