The Terrapin field hockey team defeated No. 11 Drexel, 4-2, Friday and Villanova, 5-0, earlier this morning to start their 2010 campaign off with two consecutive victories.
The No. 2 Terps (2-0) have now won their season-opener for the past 13 years.
The team’s four seniors made a significant impact this weekend. Midfielder Katie O’Donnell scored two goals and dished off three assists, defender Jemma Buckley scored two goals and added one assist, while defenders Alicia Morawski and Amanda Himmelheber started both contests and anchored the backfield.
After losing seven seniors to graduation, the Terps had to replace their entire defensive back line. Heading into the 2010 season, coach Missy Meharg emphasized how important it is for the defense to step up in order for the team to succeed.
This weekend, the defense did just that, holding Drexel (0-1) to just nine shots and Villanova to just one. The Wildcats (0-2) offense was stifled and their one shot came in the game’s 62nd minute.
“Missy’s been working a lot with us, with the defense,” Buckley said. “A lot of the seniors did graduate last year, and there’s a new group in there this year. But after getting a few games under our belt, we’re developing as a group.”
Another important development from this weekend’s games is that it looks as if the Terps are primed for a season-long goalie competition. Redshirt junior Melissa Vassalotti started against Drexel and recorded four saves, while freshman Natalie Hunter started against Villanova and recorded one save.
“We’re in a position where we need both of these women to get quality Division I experience,” Meharg said. “Minutes are everything, and they’re both playing well and are confident, so that’s how we’re going to be handling that for right now.”
Jakob Engelke is The Diamondback’s Terrapin Field Hockey beat writer. He can be reached at jengelke@umdbk.com. You can follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Jakob_Engelke.