The Terps are riding a three-game win streak.
Despite winning both of its games last weekend, Maryland field hockey slid down one spot to No. 10 in the latest National Field Hockey Coaches Association’s (NFHCA) Poll.
Maryland (10-3) now shifts its attention to a crucial conference road series, where it’ll take on No. 16 Michigan and No. 9 Ohio State.
The Terps’ match against Michigan on Friday at 4 p.m. will be televised on Big Ten Network. They will then face off against Ohio State on Sunday at 1 p.m., which will be streamed on Big Ten Plus.
Michigan Wolverines (6-6, 1-4 Big Ten)
2022 Record: (14-6, 5-3 Big Ten)
Michigan has been battle-tested this season under 24th-year head coach Marcia Pankratz. All six of the Wolverines’ losses have come against ranked opponents, including one-goal defeats to North Carolina, Northwestern and Rutgers, all of which were ranked in the top-10 at the time.
The Terps are 21-5 all-time against Michigan, and took the most recent game, 1-0, in overtime.
Players to know
Kelsey Reviello, freshman midfielder, No. 8 — Similar to Maryland, Michigan utilizes its freshmen to help lead the attack. Reviello, a Virginia native, leads the Wolverines with five goals and 11 points this season.
Caylie McMahon, redshirt sophomore goalkeeper, No. 1 — McMahon has started all 12 games for Michigan this season, holding opponents to an average of 1.34 goals per game with a .768 save percentage.
Strength
Depth. Michigan’s goal production this season has come from all over field. 11 different Wolverines have netted a goal, eight of whom have at least two scores.
Weakness
Inexperience. Michigan lost seven of its top nine point-getters from a year ago, making it a younger team that Maryland head coach Missy Meharg sees a resemblance to.
“They’re a bit young in certain areas,” Meharg said. “They lost their entire midfield, but so did Maryland. So we’re all just similar in that regard.”
Ohio State Buckeyes (12-3, 4-2 Big Ten)
2022 Record: (11-8, 3-5 Big Ten)
Led by seventh-year head coach Jarred Martin, Ohio State recently achieved its first top-10 ranking since 2017.
The Buckeyes have ranked conference wins against No. 6 Iowa and Michigan, and have another big test on Friday when they’ll host No. 4 Rutgers before welcoming in Maryland.
Players to know
Makenna Webster, senior forward, No. 8 — The Wisconsin transfer has been a force for Ohio State in her two seasons with the Buckeyes. This year, Webster ranks second in the Big Ten with 15 goals and eight assists. Her six game-winning goals also rank atop the conference.
As well, she’s on the Buckeyes’ ice hockey team. In 2021, while with Wisconsin, she helped lead the Badgers to the national championship.
“You need to really watch this little hockey player that’s on their team,” Meharg said. “She’s quite a player and an attacker”
Abby Danson, senior goalkeeper, No. 75 — Danson has been a staple in net for the Buckeyes over the last two years. The team captain has started in goal for all 34 of Ohio State’s games over the last two seasons, recording eight shutouts and a 1.15 save percentage during the span.
Strength
Scoring. Similar to Michigan, Webster leads an Ohio State attack that has featured 12 different goal scorers. Ohio State ranks first in the Big Ten with 49 goals this year, and if the Terps can contain Webster, look for freshman Brenna Bough or graduate Julie Rodijk to facilitate the offense. The duo has combined for 16 goals this season.
Weakness
Saves. Comparatively, Ohio State has struggled to defend its own net. Its .743 save percentage is the second-worst mark in the Big Ten.
Three things to watch
1. How does Maryland’s lineup change with Fietcher healthy? Graduate defender Nathalie Fiechter was sidelined for the last two games with a right hand injury. Meharg said she intends to activate Fiechter, but is unsure of how she will be used.
“She’ll definitely be playing,” Meharg said. “We haven’t made the decisions on field players yet… so we’ll make that call.”
2. A tough environment awaits. The Terps hold a 5-2 record at Michigan, but Meharg alluded to how the atmosphere in Ann Arbor has consistently given the Terps challenges in the past.
“Michigan has such a wonderful, competitive flavor out there,” Meharg said. “It all starts from the whole ‘Big House’ for football and just migrates into all of their other facilities, and we’ve learned to love that.”
3. Can Ohio State end the streak? The Terps are 19-0 all-time against Ohio State, but as the higher-ranked team, Sunday’s match could be the perfect opportunity for the Buckeyes to pick up their first win.