The Terps hit the road to face Indiana and No. 10 Iowa.
No. 5 Maryland field hockey is traveling for its first true road games of the season this weekend. The Terps will play at Indiana on Friday and at No. 10 Iowa on Sunday, with both games set to start at 1:00 p.m.
The Terps did not budge in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) poll this week, remaining at No. 5 after their tight 1-0 loss to No. 2 Northwestern on Friday.
“I’m excited to get out of town,” head coach Missy Meharg said. “I’m excited to go to the West. I’m excited to have two games in four days, and I’m excited to be with this group, because we are right there. We’re playing such good hockey.”
Friday’s game will air on Big Ten Network, and Saturday’s will stream on Big Ten Plus.
Indiana (3-5, 0-2 Big Ten)
Head coach Kayla Bashore has led the program for six years. After Indiana totaled 10 and nine-win seasons in 2021 and 2022, respectively, it took a step back in 2023, winning just six games. But with three wins already this season, the Hoosiers may be on the rise again.
Players to know
Yip van Wonderen, senior back, No. 15 — While she is listed as a back and often starts as a defender, expect to see van Wonderen all over the field on Friday. The Dutch senior leads her team with four goals this season, including a hat trick against Lock Haven on Sep. 29.
Sadie Canelli, freshman goalkeeper, No. 26 — Indiana benched senior goalkeeper Arabella Loveridge for Canelli just three games into the season, and the freshman has not looked back. Canelli, a 2024 MAX Field Hockey top 50 recruit, has recorded two shutouts in five career starts and kept the Hoosiers within a goal in the three losses.
Strength
Penalties. Indiana has been strong in the margins this season. So far, the Hoosiers have won 48 penalty corners and acquired fewer green and yellow cards than their opponents.
Weakness
Shot conversion. The Hoosiers have scored just 13 goals, which ranks last in the conference on 123 shots this season, including 70 shots on target.
Iowa (5-3, 0-2 Big Ten)
Under head coach Lisa Cellucci, now in her 11th season in charge, the Hawkeyes have been ranked in 81 consecutive NFHCA polls. This season, they rose as high as No. 14 in the polls. It dropped six spots after losses to Northwestern, 5-0, and Rutgers, 3-2.
Players to know
Dionne van Aalsum, sophomore midfielder, No. 10 — van Aalsum was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year last fall. She beat Maryland’s Alyssa Klebasko and Josie Hollamon for good reason — van Aalsum scored 28 goals in 19 games. van Aalsum has not yet hit the same heights in 2024, with a 7.7% shot conversion percentage, far below last year’s 27.5%.
Annika Herbine, senior forward, No. 24 — Herbine is a valuable member of Iowa’s team, underscored by her role as an everyday starter and the entrance specialist for Iowa’s penalty corners. The senior — whxo was named to the American World Cup team at the 2023 FIH Indoor Hockey Championships — is second on the team with six points, having contributed two goals and two assists so far this season.
Strength
Fourth quarter offense. Six of the Hawkeyes’ 13 goals this season have come in the fourth quarter. What makes this number even more impressive is that Iowa has only taken 20 shots total in the fourth quarter, meaning the team conversion rate is 30% throughout the final 15 minutes.
Weakness
Shot creation. Iowa has 75 shots through 8 games, the lowest total and per game numbers in the Big Ten. Whether this is a result of the Hawkeyes being more selective with their shots or failure to create will become more apparent on Sunday.
Three things to know
1. Low-scoring games on tap. Maryland has scored 17 goals so far this season, which ranks seventh in the Big Ten. The only Big Ten teams who have scored less than the Terps are Iowa and Indiana, at 13 goals each.
2. Big Ten woes for the Hoosiers. Indiana has not won a conference game in just over two years. The Hoosiers’ struggles have persisted throughout Bashore’s tenure, with the team amassing four conference wins across her five full seasons at the helm.
3. Slow start probable in Iowa. Across the eight games, neither the Hawkeyes nor their opponents have scored in the first quarter. With Maryland also tending to start slow this season — scoring just two second-quarter goals — Sunday’s game may be a second-half affair.