Maryland field hockey weekend preview: The Terps open the season with two games at home

The Terps look to kick their season off with a pair of wins.

This fall’s first Penn Monto/National Field Hockey Coaches Association National Coaches Poll was released this past Friday, and Maryland begins its season ranked No. 4 in Division I. For the fourth season in a row, the Terps will start the season in the top four.

Unlike those recent years, however, Maryland faces an immediate challenge in meeting expectations, opening the season this weekend with games against No. 7 Louisville and an improving Drexel squad.

The first game against the Cardinals is Friday at 6 p.m., with the match against Drexel following on Sunday at noon. Both games will be streamed on Big Ten Plus and take place in College Park.

Last season, Maryland went 8-3 at home, including wins in three of its first four games. A similar start is crucial for the Terps, as six of their eight Big Ten competitors are also ranked in the NFHCA’s top 20.

Louisville Cardinals

2023 Record: 15-7 (3-3 Atlantic Coast Conference)

Louisville heads into their 14th season under head coach Justene Sowry, who has led the team to the national quarterfinals in three of the past five seasons. Last year, Louisville beat Iowa in the first round before losing to Northwestern on a last-minute goal in the quarterfinals. However, the roster this year will rely heavily on a large ensemble of underclassmen, as only four of Louisville’s 16 returning players are seniors.

Players to know

Aimee Plumb, fifth-year midfielder, No. 9 — Plumb led the team with eight assists last year, while also scoring five goals. She is also a two-time third-team NFHCA All-America selection (2021 and 2022)

Mia Duchar, fifth-year midfielder, No. 12 — Last season, Duchar’s tallied five assists and a goal, which was a game-winner against Boston College. She also earned second-team All-American honors in 2023.

Strength

Defending. Louisville was built to stop its opponents from scoring last season and all signs point to a continuation of those hallmarks this year. The Cardinals finished fifth in the NCAA with a 1.1 goals against average in 2023. Furthermore, Louisville allowed just 7.3 shots per game last season and former goalkeeper Merlijn van der Vegt only faced 88 shots on goal across the entire 22-game season.

Weakness

Goaltending. As oxymoronic as it sounds, the heart of Louisville’s biggest strength may be its biggest weakness this fall. van der Vegt was a massive contributor to Louisville’s success last year with a 72% save percentage. As a result, she leaves behind large shoes to fill.

One option the Terps could see in goal is graduate transfer Brandelynn Heinbaugh, who finished with a 4-11 record and 65.2% save percentage as James Madison’s starting goalkeeper. Alternatively, the Cardinals could look toward sophomore Emily Young or freshman Alessia Cicuto, yet neither have experience in a competitive Division I game. Question marks at such an important position may offer the Terps hope at breaking through the staunch defense.

Drexel Dragons

2023 Record: 14-6 (4-2 Coastal Athletic Association)

Drexel head coach Denise Zelenak will take charge of the Dragons for her 13th consecutive season, having taken the program as high as two national championship appearances. The Dragons’ 14 wins last season are the most the program has seen since 2012, and they will look to build on the progress of last year to reach their first NCAA tournament in over a decade.

Players to know

Valentine Van Hellemont, sophomore, No. 3 — Van Hellemont was the CAA Rookie of the Year last year, finishing with a team-leading 12 goals. Her 0.6 goals per game were tied for sixth-best by a freshman, and the forward will look to grow into her role as Drexel’s main scoring threat this campaign.

Natali Foster, junior, No. 13 — Foster led the Dragons with 29 points from the forward position last year, scoring 10 goals and assisting on nine. That assist mark tied for sixth-best in Drexel history, and as she enters her junior year, Foster will look to assert herself in the program’s record books with another stellar season.

Strength

Offense. The Dragons led the CAA with 53 goals and 318 shots over their 20 games played last season. Drexel got onto the scoreboard in all but four games, and when they score, they tend to do so in bunches. The Dragons put four goals past Bucknell and Villanova, five past Towson, seven past William & Mary and eight past Queens (N.C.) last year.

Weakness

Fouls. Drexel committed 352 fouls over the course of last season, averaging nearly 4.5 fouls every quarter of play. These fouls led to 26 green cards and 3 yellow cards, and a similar lack of discipline could prove costly in College Park this weekend.

Three things to watch

1. Maryland’s revamped home. This weekend will mark the first official games at Maryland’s Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex since remodeling efforts finished this past December. The Terps’ facilities now stand among the nation’s best, mirroring the program’s commitment to achieving excellence. The two games Maryland will host this weekend will serve as an excellent indicator as to how ready it is to take up that mantle.

2. Louisville can keep the game tight. The defensive efforts the Cardinals put out often lead to low-scoring games that are decided in small moments. Fifteen of Louisville’s 22 games last season were decided by one goal, and it went 10-5 in those games, including notable wins at Northwestern and Boston College. With the efforts put in by the defense, less is expected of the offense, which only scored 37 goals last season.

3. Homecoming for Castaldo. On Sunday, Maryland will welcome forward Anna Castaldo back to College Park. Castaldo spent four years as a Terp before leaving for Drexel this summer to pursue graduate work. During her career in College Park, she played in every game she was available for, starting eight times and scoring six goals. Coach Missy Meharg has spoken fondly of Castaldo, calling her a “great attacker” at field hockey’s media day on Tuesday. Now, the Terps will have to hope Castaldo will not showcase that greatness in a different jersey this weekend.

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