Trainers check on linebacker David Mackall after the true freshman suffered a slight concussion covering a kick. Jaclyn Borowski/ The Diamondback

Terrapin football coach Ralph Friedgen’s weekly Sunday teleconference is usually relatively news-free with two notable exceptions.

The first is that Friedgen can offer a better evaluation of individual players having watched the game tape.

And the second is the plentiful injury updates that accompany any game.

This Sunday, Friedgen spoke about a number of players who are newly injured, and he also spoke about a couple players who will be returning in time for next week’s game against Duke.

Here is a comprehensive list from the recent weeks:

OG Andrew Gonnella

The injury:

A player Friedgen called “one tough hombre” after the game, Gonnella suffered a high ankle sprain in the first quarter of Saturday’s game, missed a few possessions, and then came back and gritted through the pain.

Sunday, Friedgen said Gonnella is feeling really sore. He will be limited in practice but Friedgen said the doctors told him Gonnella could play.

The impact:

Gonnella’s backup is redshirt freshman Pete White, and in limited duty on Saturday, White looked a little slow and indecisive. He is the biggest player on the Terps’ roster and has plenty of strength but he still has a long way to go.

The Terps need Gonnella to stay healthy because they can’t afford any more blows to the depth across the line.

LB David Mackall

The injury:

Friedgen said in the week leading up to the game that he wanted Mackall to see the field more often. Mackall rewarded his coach’s confidence by de-cleating the return man on a kick return in the first half.

Unfortunately for the Terps, the true freshman also took another hard knock while covering a kick and suffered a slight concussion. Friedgen said he is day-to-day.

The impact:

It won’t be a huge loss since it isn’t a long-term injury and Mackall probably only see 10-12 plays per game. But it does hurt Mackall’s development. He is Alex Wujciak’s heir-apparent and he needs all the reps he can get.

(more…)

After two exciting, back-and-forth overtime periods, the Terps finished the game with a 1-1 tie.

Check out tomorrow’s Diamondback for a full recap of the Terps’ ACC opener.

For the second straight game, the Terps were able to overcome a 1-0 second half deficit to send the game to overtime.

Duke took the lead in the 62nd minute, when a long Duke shot was sent in by Molly Lester and played by a sliding Yewande Balogun. As she got a hand on the ball, she collided with a collection of Blue Devils and Terps and the ball popped out. Duke’s Callie Simpkins corralled the rebound and put it into the empty net.

After pressing for the equalizer, the Terps found it in a fluke. After a Blue Devil barrage on the Terp net, where four shots were turned away, the Terps transitioned, throwing a long ball on net that the Blue Devil goalkeeper bobbled. Forward Ashley Grove took possession of the loose ball, stepped back and put it in the vacant goal from 20 yards up.

More to come after OT, which consists of two 10-minute golden goal periods.

It’s hard to say if there’s been any advantage either way at this point. In a very physical game, both the Terps and the Blue Devils have had their fair share of chances.

The Terps have found the post twice, once following a good run by Spencer early in the half and the other off the head of Molly Dreska, who redirected an Olivia Wagner corner off the crossbar in the 42nd minute.

The Blue Devils have had no shortage of chances, either, as they lead the Terps, 5-3, in shots. They have forced Terp goalkeeper Yewande Balogun to make three saves, none more difficult than a second minute strike from inside the box.

The first half did not fail to disappoint the expectations of ACC play. More to follow from what looks to be another exciting half.

After winning their ACC opener against Boston College on Tuesday, the Terrapin volleyball team began a tough four-match road trip, starting this weekend with a match against North Carolina Friday and N.C. Saturday.

On Friday the Terps (11-4, 2-1 ACC) fell victim to the Tar Heels powerful attack.  After winning the first set 25-23, the Terps lost the next two sets 25-12 and 25-13.  They fought back in the fourth set but couldn’t pull out a victory, losing the match 3-1.

The Terps were able to salvage the weekend on Saturday against the Wolfpack, however, winning the match in four sets.  They struggled in the second set, but they eventually coasted to a 3-1 victory.

Freshman outside hitter Mary Cushman led the team with 29 kills on the weekend, and sophomore setter Remy McBain added 75 assists.  Senior libero Bethany Springer was tops on the team defensively with 38 digs.

The Terps will travel to North Carolina again next weekend when they face Wake Forest on Thursday and Duke on Friday.

Josh Vitale is The Diamondback’s volleyball beat writer. He can be reached at vitale@umdbk.com

Today is the day that the undefeated No. 8 Terrapin women’s soccer team had circled on their calendars. And as they warm up opposite No. 14 Duke, the anxious feeling that followed the Terps on the practice field seems to have dissipated.

It now appears to be excitement. Today marks the first ranked opponent for the 8-0 Terps on the year, as well as the start of the Terps’ quest to establish themselves as a force in the nation’s strongest conference.

Some pre-game notes:
-The Blue Devils are 0-1-1 against ranked opponents this season, losing to No. 2 Stanford and tying No. 7 Florida.
-The Blue Devils are coming off a loss to unranked Wake Forest on Thursday to open ACC play.
-The Terps will be without forward Sade Ayinde for the second consecutive game as she continues to battle back from a head injury. Ayinde is tied with fellow forward Ashley Grove for the team lead in points.
-The Terps have yet to see any of the Blue Devils’ top three scorers, as all three are freshmen.

More to come at halftime from the Terps’ first true test of the season.

Well it wasn’t the prettiest game for the Terrapin football team, especially on defense, but at the end of the day the Terps were able to walk away with a much-needed win in front of a meager crowd at Byrd Stadium.

Big plays were the story of the day for the Terps. Four of their six touchdowns came from at least 55 yards away, including a 76-yard touchdown scamper from running back Davin Meggett that effectively finished off Florida International’s comeback chances.

The other three long touchdowns were: a 85-yard punt return from Tony Logan; a 56-yard run from Da’Rel Scott; and a 68-yard catch from receiver Torrey Smith.

The storyline on offense was the emergence of redshirt freshman Danny O’Brien. Regular starter Jamarr Robinson had a sore throwing shoulder, so O’Brien played in his stead and was effective if unremarkable. On the day he threw for 249 and two touchdowns on 18 completions and, more importantly, avoided costly mistakes and potential turnovers.

It will be interesting to see how the Terps handle the quarterback situation for the rest of the season. O’Brien was markedly better than Robinson has been this season, and coach Ralph Friedgen had said both quarterbacks would play, so Robinson may not be as injured as we are being led to believe.

Mike Lemaire is the 2010 Terrapin football beat writer. He can be reached at lemairedbk@gmail.com.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Forward Jill Witmer scored two goals, while defender Jemma Buckley added a goal and an assist, as the No. 2 Terrapin field hockey team defeated No. 8 Wake Forest, 5-3, today at Kentner Stadium.

After a defensive showcase during the game’s first 28 minutes, during which both teams were held scoreless, the Terps finally broke through with a goal from midfielder Kirstie Dennig, who deflected a shot from defender Jemma Buckley off a penalty corner.

Three goals were scored in the ensuing three minutes, as both team’s offense began to click, but the Terps (8-0, 2-0 ACC) held on during the high-scoring affair.

That’s all for now, Wake Forest’s SID is clearing out the press box, and because I don’t have any other internet connection, I can’t finish this blog post and figured I’d just post what I have already done.

But, check out Monday’s Diamondback for a full recap of today’s game.

Jakob Engelke is The Diamondback’s Terrapin Field Hockey beat reporter. He can be reached at jengelke@umdbk.com. You can follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Jakob_Engelke.

The Terrapin football team is finally showing it can pass the ball.

Led by redshirt freshman quarterback Danny O’Brien, the Terps have rolled up 149 passing yards in the first half and have shown an improved downfield passing attack that was missing in the first three games. O’Brien is showing terrific poise and accuracy and is already 12-for-17 for 149 yards and a touchdown.

Most importantly is that a much-maligned offensive line has allowed just one sack, and has opened up enough holes that running back Da’Rel Scott has 69 yards, although 56 of those yards came on his one touchdown run. O’Brien has been hit a few times but, for the most part, the offensive line has kept Florida International’s aggressive defense off the quarterback.

The best play of the half came thanks to Terps’ punt returner Tony Logan. Logan is finally healthy this season, and nearly broke returns against Navy and Morgan State for touchdowns. Today he finally found paydirt when he fielded a punt at his own 15-yard line, made the first two tacklers miss, and broke through down the right sideline for a touchdown.

There was plenty that didn’t go according to plan for the Terps as well.  FIU quarterback Wes Carroll has had a lot of success throwing quick passes to his receivers and letting them run with the ball. He is 13-for-21 for 139 yards including a 43-yard touchdown where cornerback Cameron Chism tried to jump the route and missed the ball.

Mike Lemaire is the Terrapin football beat writer. He can be reached at lemairedbk@gmail.com.