The Terps picked up their third consecutive win over a top 10 opponent.
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The third-ranked Maryland field hockey team held off No. 8 Virginia 2-1 Tuesday afternoon to win its third straight game over a top 10 opponent. The Terrapins (14-3) have won seven straight games since the end of September.
In the last eight days, the Terrapins beat then-No. 5 Penn State 5-4 on Oct. 16 and then then-No. 1 Connecticut 2-1 Sunday.
“Before the season even started, we knew this would be an incredibly tough week of competition,” Maryland coach Missy Meharg said. “I couldn’t be happier today. We really work hard at having a high-level schedule. We just couldn’t be more pleased with how the women responded to an incredible game against a great UConn team Sunday and then 48 hours later, playing UVA, who is so tactically sophisticated. It took us a little while to get under control what they were doing, but when we did, I thought we were solid.”
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Sophomore Linnea Gonzales opened the scoring when she banged one in off a penalty corner in the 24th minute. Junior Lein Holsboer and redshirt senior Emma Rissingerassisted on the play.
The Cavaliers (11-7) tied it up six minutes later when Riley Tata scored off the rebound on a penalty corner. The teams would stay tied at one at halftime.
The #Terps won their third straight game over a top 10 opponent Tuesday --> https://t.co/gcgNiohT1i pic.twitter.com/qqjNlMm6T4
— Terps Field Hockey (@TerpFieldHockey) October 25, 2016
In the 44th minute, freshman Madison Maguire broke the tie when she finished off Rissinger’s pass behind the Virginia goalkeeper.
The Cavaliers outshot the Terps, 19-6. Redshirt junior goalkeeper Sarah Bates had a career-high eight saves.
Graduate student Grace Balsdon was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week Tuesday for the third time this season. She led the Terrapins' defense to a great effort that led to a 2-1 victory over #1 Connecticut (16-1) Sunday. She scored to tie the match in the first half. Then, Balsdon and the defense held the nation’s top scoring team to well under its average of 5.41 goals per game and the nation’s top goal scorer, UConn’s Charlotte Veitner, scoreless. They dealt the Huskies their first loss of the season.
