On Sunday afternoon in Bloomington, Indiana, No. 1 Maryland field hockey found itself in a defensive duel with No. 13 Indiana in a game with Big Ten tournament implications.
The scoreless deadlock remained for nearly 40 minutes until Maryland junior Babs van Hest cracked the code with her ninth goal of the season. For the final 20 minutes, Maryland’s defense kept Indiana quiet to ensure a 1-0 victory.
Like most games, Maryland controlled the battle for possession in the first quarter. The Terps frequently
found themselves within the 23-meter line, but the Hoosiers’ defense packed the shooting circle to close off shooting lanes.
Indiana picked up some momentum towards the end of the opening frame. On one particular chance, Molly Stutte found herself behind Maryland’s defense, but Terps goalkeeper Alyssa Klebasko made a kick save to put an end to the threat.
To start the second quarter, Indiana pressed Maryland’s defense, nearly breaking through with multiple chances on the doorstep. However, Klebasko nicely navigated the chaos within the shooting circle to keep the match scoreless halfway through the period.
The Hoosiers continued to frustrate the Terps before halftime. Indiana denied Maryland on a pair of penalty corners before generating a pair of its own. Fortunately for the Terps, Klebasko was on her game, as the senior picked up three first-half saves.
On Thursday, Maryland was burned when it was whistled for a card. On Sunday, the Terps found themselves on the right side of a man-advantage. As time ticked down on an Indiana green card, van Hest corralled a loose ball in the circle and smashed a shot to the back of the net to give the Terps a third-quarter lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
The goal broke a Maryland scoring drought that nearly reached four quarters.
On the other side, Maryland held Indiana shotless in the third quarter. It was the fifth straight contest the Terps kept their opponent without a shot in a quarter.
Maryland’s strong defensive play remained in the final frame, as the Terps neutralized Indiana’s attack. The Hoosiers brought on an extra attacker in favor of the goalie with over five minutes to play, but the Terps weren’t fazed, as Indiana failed to record a single shot in the final stretch of the game.
Maryland returns to College Park for its final game of the regular season Friday. The Terps will host No. 6 Iowa.
Three things to know
1. Brilliant Babs. Babs van Hest’s ninth goal of the season ties her with Francisca Eschoyez for the team lead.
2. Stacking up the shutouts. The Terps registered their ninth clean sheet of the season and their third in four games on Sunday.
3. Tournament update. Maryland’s win puts itself in prime position to earn the No. 2 seed in the Big Ten tournament. Another win on Friday against Iowa would confirm the No. 2 seed for good. If the Terps clinch that No. 2 seed, they’ll play either Michigan or Ohio State. Those two teams battle on Friday, with the winner grabbing the No. 7 seed and the loser ending its season.
