The Terps hit the road looking to extend their winning streak to four games.
No. 9 Maryland women’s lacrosse (3-1) capped off its four-game homestand with three consecutive victories — albeit against lesser competition. The Terps utilized a seven-goal third-quarter — their second in a row — to overcome a 6-5 halftime deficit and defeat Denver, 14-10, last Saturday.
Now, the Terps have a chance to prove its legitimacy with a ranked matchup at No. 12 James Madison Saturday. It will mark Maryland’s first road game of the season, a true test for its 11 freshmen.
Saturday’s contest is the start of a tough slate of games with Big Ten play picking up. The Terps will face Penn State, before meeting No. 5 Michigan and No. 3 Northwestern.
The match will start at noon and stream on ESPN+.
No. 12 James Madison Dukes (4-1, 0-0 American Athletic)
2024 record: 14-6, 5-1 American Athletic
A two-time All-American as a player at James Madison, head coach Shelley Klaes has returned to her alma mater and turned the program into a consistent threat. In her 19 seasons at the helm, Klaes has guided the Dukes to 11 NCAA Tournament appearances, including the program’s first national championship in 2018.
Last season marked James Madison’s ninth consecutive run to the tournament. It finished with a 14-6 record and fell to Florida in the AAC Tournament championship game. Then, Maryland took down the Dukes in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to end their season.
After getting blown out by No. 2 North Carolina to open the 2025 campaign, James Madison has responded with four straight victories. The Dukes held off a late push last game against Florida, 17-16, to avenge the title game loss.
Players to watch
Maddie Epke, junior attacker, No. 20 — Last season’s Inside Lacrosse Women All-American honorable mention is having another stellar campaign. After breaking the program’s single-season record for most draw controls (178) and finishing second on the team in points (80), Epke is third in the nation with 11.2 draw controls per game, also adding 16 goals and seven assists.
Chloe Bleckley, freshman midfielder, No. 6 — Bleckley has burst onto the scene in her first year. She has tallied seven goals, picked up five ground balls and caused four turnovers. Bleckley’s five goals last week helped her earn AAC Midfielder of the Week.
Ava Bleckley, sophomore defender, No. 5 — Chloe’s older sister has picked up where she left off after a strong freshman campaign. The AAC first-teamer recorded 40 draw controls, 37 ground balls and 31 caused turnovers last year. Despite missing the first two games, Ava Bleckley has gathered seven ground balls and forced six turnovers this season.
Strength
Draw control. While James Madison’s attack isn’t the most efficient, the faceoff unit certainly makes up for it. The Dukes hold the eighth-highest draw control percentage (64.1%) and collect the 13th-most draw controls per game in the nation (16.8). Led by Epke, James Madison will give Maryland’s unit another challenge.
“In the draw circle, [we’re] trying to make it 50/50 battles, where you’re not relying on one person,” head coach Cathy Reese said. “Our focus is always going to be on our unit and the team coming up with it.”
Weakness
Net play. The lone glaring weakness for the Dukes has been their goalkeeping. Between Caitlin Boden and Adanya Moyer, who have both started games this season, James Madison has allowed 11.8 goals per game and blocked 43.3% of shots on goal. It has allowed a combined 30 goals in its two ranked games.
Three things to watch
1. U-20 reunion. The USA women’s U-20 team brought home the gold medal at the 2024 World Championships over the summer. Kori Edmondson and Epke were two key pieces on that team, combining for five goals, three assists and 111 draw controls. They will go from teammates to competitors Saturday.
2. One-sided rivalry. These two programs have faced off 50 times, with Maryland leading the all-time series, 44-6. While the Terps picked up wins in both meetings last season, they have struggled on the road recently. Their last victory in Harrisonburg, Virginia, came in 2019, when they defeated the Dukes, 18-5.
3. JJ Suriano’s struggles in goal. After conceding 15 goals in the season opener, Maryland’s defense has played better since. However, Suriano’s issues protecting the net have remained, recording just nine saves on 26 shots on goal in the past two contests. Suriano holds the 73rd-highest save percentage (40.4%) out of 109 Division I goalies.