Maci Bradford was credited with the game-winning goal.
In the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game between No. 10 Maryland field hockey and No. 9 Ohio State, Terps sophomore Hannah Boss sprinted through space in the midfield and zipped a pass directly in front of the net, finding fifth-year Margot Lawn. Lawn sent in a shot that was deflected by freshman Maci Bradford, beating Ohio State goalkeeper Abby Dawson to thrust Maryland ahead.
To wrap up a two-game weekend road trip, Maryland used goals from Bradford and Sammy Popper to knock off Ohio State, 2-1, in Columbus, Ohio.
The game-winner came after Ohio State (12-5) utilized a Hallie Brost goal halfway through the third quarter to tie the score at one. The junior took a well-spotted pass from Makenna Webster and beat Maryland (12-3) freshman goalkeeper Alyssa Klebasko to the bottom-left corner.
The equalizer was Brost’s second goal of the season — her first since early September — and the assist from Webster — her ninth this season — tied Lawn for the second-most assists in the Big Ten.
Ohio State played behind for a majority of the first half after Sammy Popper put Maryland ahead with a first-quarter goal for the second consecutive game.
The Princeton transfer controlled an entry pass from Boss, swerved rightward to get past two Ohio State defenders and snuck a dribbling shot into the goal for the opening score. Popper is one of four Terps this season with six or more goals.
Early in the second quarter, the Buckeyes were positioned to find an equalizer, but Klebasko stifled a number of chances. After having only one shot and no corners in the opening 15 minutes, Ohio State drew four corners in less than a minute-long span, launching a shot after each insert but held without a goal through halftime.
Even though the Buckeyes did once beat Klebasko in the latter half, they couldn’t match the Terps’ two-goal output and fell at home.
Maryland, coming off of a weekend sweep, will host No. 6 Iowa on Friday at 5 p.m. in its biggest home game of the season.
Three things to know
1. Getting ahead early. Maryland held a 1-0 lead over Ohio State after the first quarter. It has outscored its opponents by 12 in opening periods this season.
2. Popper strikes again. With the goal Sunday, Popper became the first Terp to score a goal in three straight games since junior Hope Rose did so in the team’s first three contests this season.
3. Still perfect. With the win, Maryland moved to 20-0 all-time against Ohio State.