No. 12 Maryland field hockey closed last weekend with a shutout against Michigan State. However, its loss to Ohio State in overtime Friday caused it to fall yet another ranking spot in the National Field
Hockey Coaches Association poll.
The Terps aren’t done with their Big Ten road trip, either. Maryland will travel to Iowa for a Friday contest at 2 p.m. The matchup will air on Big Ten Plus.
No. 10 Iowa Hawkeyes (7-2, 1-1 Big Ten Conference)
2024 Record: 9-9, 2-6 Big Ten
The Hawkeyes are hungry for a Big Ten Tournament seed.
After falling to Maryland in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals last season, Iowa didn’t earn a seed in the NCAA Tournament. With head coach Lisa Cellucci at the helm, Iowa has qualified for six tournaments in the last seven years, but has not had any success there.
The Hawkeyes currently rank sixth in the conference with a .500 win percentage. Their matchup against Maryland will either propel them to the conference’s upper echelon, or force them trickling to the bottom.
Players to watch
Dionne van Aalsum, junior midfielder, No. 10 — Van Aalsum was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week twice in 2024, and for good reason. The junior midfielder has led the team in goals in every season she has played as a Hawkeye. Van Aalsum currently ranks first in the NCAA in goals scored per game, and has notched at least one in every contest this season.
Felicia Zonnenberg, freshman midfielder, No, 18 — Zonnenberg has contributed greatly to the Hawkeyes in her first year of collegiate play. In just nine games, the freshman has logged nine starts and scored three goals, including the tiebreaking score against Michigan. Zonnenberg’s 10 assists this season comfortably pace the Hawkeyes — nobody else has more than four.
Mia Magnotta, redshirt senior goalkeeper, No. 61 — Magnotta finished last season ranked second in the conference in shutouts posted before being named to the U.S. U21 Women’s National Team. Currently, the goalkeeper ranks sixth in the conference in save percentage. Magnotta posted 11 saves in Iowa’s last game against No. 1 Northwestern.
Strength
Scoring. The Hawkeyes have outscored their opponents by 15 goals this year. They also rank fifth in the NCAA in scoring per game. With a shots-on-goal percentage of 64.2% as a team, Maryland’s defensive line will need to remain steady. Should the Terps replicate their defensive performance from last game — limiting their opponent to just six shots in the whole game — they have a solid chance of limiting Iowa’s scoring chances.
Weakness
Offensive balance. Iowa only has four players listed as true forwards, and only three have seen action on the field this season. As none of the listed forwards play for more than 37 minutes per game, Iowa has been forced to move midfielders to the front line, thereby potentially weakening other aspects of the lineup.
Three things to know
1. Tradition of excellence. Maryland has beaten Iowa 16 times over the two teams’ 26-year matchup history. The Terps have shut out the Hawkeyes in the last three games.
2. Hawkeyes flew in. None of Iowa’s players are from the state of Iowa. 13 of 26 players on the roster are from other countries.
3. Teammate reunion. Iowa’s Sabrina McGroarty and Maryland’s Erin Callahan played together at Kingsway Regional High School in South Harrison, NJ. Though they’re a year apart, McGroarty and Callahan will be very familiar with each other’s strengths.
