The Terps are entering the matchup with the Dukes after an overtime win over No. 12 Virginia.
The No. 7 Maryland Terrapins will return home for a Sunday afternoon matchup with the James Madison Dukes at the Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex in College Park.
Maryland (8-4) is coming off of a much-needed 2-1 overtime victory over No. 12 Virginia Cavaliers, that saw freshman forward Hope Rose score the game-winning goal to end the Terps’ two-game skid as they enter the backend of their regular season.
James Madison (6-4) is currently riding a three-game winning streak. The Dukes have beaten the likes of Davidson, Northeastern and Hofstra coming into the game with Maryland
The Dukes have recorded a massive 15 goals during the streak and will look to pull off the upset on the road in a matchup with the Terps.
Maryland leads the all-time series over James Madison, with an overwhelming 24-5-3 lead. These two teams squared off in 2019, in a game that Maryland dominated with a 4-0 defeat.
The Terps’ meeting with the Dukes begins at 1 p.m. and can be streamed on BTN+.
Now let’s take a look at the James Madison Dukes.
James Madison Dukes 7-4 (3-0 CAA)
2020 record: 6-2 (5-0 CAA)
James Madison is led by its head coach Christy Morgan, who’s returning for her 15th season at the helm of the Dukes. Morgan has recorded an impressive 198-116-2 record during her time on campus.
The 2004 JMU Athletics Hall of Fame inductee has led James Madison to great success, with consistent deep runs in the CAA tournament and even a national championship in 1994. Morgan made history, becoming the first person in NCAA field hockey history to win a championship as a player and coach.
She was an outstanding player in her own right at Old Dominion, as a three-time All-American and won three consecutive national championships in her illustrious playing career.
Players to know
Eveline Zwager, junior forward, No. 9 — The talented junior comes into the contest leading James Madison in goals on the season, with a respective eight goals. She has been named the CAA Player of the Week twice thus far in her junior campaign. The preseason All-CAA nominee has dished out an impressive four assists this season, to showcase her playmaking skills for the Dukes.
Diede Remijnse, junior midfielder, No. 11 — Remijnse has started in all ten games for the Dukes, while also ranking second in goals with seven goals. The Netherlands native has registered 16 shots on goal, to go along with her 29 shots this season.
Caroline Cahill, redshirt junior midfielder, No. 10 — The aggressive midfielder leads James Madison shot attempts on the season, with a respective 34 shots in her junior campaign. Cahill has also chipped in three goals to complement her 18 shots on goal this season. The Yorktown Heights native puts pressure on opponents’ goalie to defend every inch of the cage with her aggressiveness and relentless spirit.
Strength
Penalty corners. James Madison is at its best when they can generate penalty corners at a high clip. The Dukes have outscored their opponents in penalty corners, with a 78 to 46 advantage. The ability to earn useful opportunities at the net is a major strength of the Dukes’ offensive attack.
Weakness
Goals. The Dukes have registered a worrisome 29 combined goals on the season in their 10 games. James Madison averaged 2.90 goals per game, which is concerning given that they are posting 15.5 shots in each contest. Scoring with high-powered offenses will be a problem for the Dukes if they don’t improve this facet of their offensive arsenal.
Three things to watch
1. Can Maryland protect its house? The Terps are returning home for a Sunday matchup with James Madison, after dropping their two previous home contests to No. 4 Northwestern and undefeated No. 1 Iowa. Maryland is 4-3 at the Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex and will look to get back on track with a victory on its home turf.
2. Will freshman Hope Rose continue to bring the pressure? Star freshman Hope Rose has been on a tear recently, recording at least one goal in three of the past four games for the Terps. In Thursday’s overtime victory over No. 15 Virginia, Rose closed the show in beautiful fashion, scoring the game-winning goal to ultimately end the game.
3. How can the Terps build off of their latest defensive dominance? Maryland goalie Noelle Frost protected the cage with outstanding awareness and athleticism versus Virginia while recording an impressive six saves in the first half. Frost received defensive help from several of her teammates to keep Virginia out of the cage until the fourth quarter. Maura Verleg and the crew made timely rotations on defense to smother and limit their opponents’ effectiveness. When the Terps are able to make rapid rotations and force turnovers, they are a difficult team to prepare for.