Maryland field hockey has two capable goalies at its disposal

Coach Missy Meharg determined Saturday that backup goalie Paige Kieft would play in Maryland discipline hockey’s Sunday contest versus New Hampshire, placing the sophomore in line to make her first profession begin.

Kieft entered the weekend finale with a spirit and vitality that was new to her teammates. They observed Kieft was bringing one thing additional into the largest recreation of her time as a Terp. 

She saved three of 4 photographs taken on objective within the 6-1 win over the Wildcats, together with two within the fourth quarter to maintain New Hampshire at one because the Terps tacked on extra to drag away.

“It’s very thrilling, the vitality she got here out with,” Bibi Donraadt mentioned. “It was her first begin in her complete profession. That’s very thrilling how she’s capable of step up like that instantly and be that ball for us in objective.”

“I really like taking part in with these women in follow, so having the ability to carry it onto the sphere simply actually felt full circle,” Kieft mentioned after the sport. 

[Second-half surge pushes Maryland field hockey to 6-1 win over New Hampshire]

Kieft and typical starter Christina Calandra had no beginning expertise getting into the season, with Calandra taking part in in solely 5 video games getting into the 12 months. They’ve now each logged vital taking part in time as Maryland wraps up its nonconference portion of the schedule.

With two goalies at her disposal, Meharg has the benefit of permitting Calandra to take day without work. It additionally permits her to throw a unique goalie at sure conditions; Kieft can be inserted in a penalty stroke state of affairs due to how she defends drag flicks, Meharg mentioned.

Maryland hasn’t allowed greater than two targets in any recreation this season, and has given up one objective in 4 of six matchups. That’s partly because of the Terps’ suffocating defensive unit. However when that line often will get damaged, Calandra or Kieft has been there to forestall the ball from discovering the online. 

“You’re not going to maintain one other crew shotless,” Meharg mentioned. “Our markers can do in addition to they will, however these guys are going to need to make saves and after they’ve needed to, they’ve.”

[Maryland field hockey has benefited from Missy Meharg’s on-the-fly tactical tweaks]

Calandra’s notched 5 saves with 4 targets allowed — a 0.556 % save fee — in 5 video games. Her greatest show got here in Maryland’s second bout of the season the place she held Stanford scoreless on 4 shot makes an attempt, marking her first profession shutout.

Kieft has only one begin, however has performed in three whole video games by advantage of relieving Calandra for lengthy stretches of recreation time. In 86 minutes on the sphere, Kieft has saved 4 photographs whereas permitting two scores.

Communication has been each Calandra and Kieft’s greatest space of enchancment from earlier than the season, when neither had any profession begins, Meharg mentioned.

For Kieft, these abilities have come by watching and listening to how Calandra operates in internet. As a senior, her chemistry with the defensive backfield is in a greater place than Kieft’s. 

“I believe I can study so much from Christina,” Kieft mentioned. “She’s been right here a pair extra years than me, so I believe she positively has the chemistry with the gamers relating to the communication side of the sport.”

Because the Terps enter convention play Friday at Ohio State, Meharg now has two goaltenders who she will confidently deploy in any recreation or state of affairs. It’s a stark distinction to the state of affairs earlier than the season, when uncertainty round who would begin and the way inexperience would play an element was bountiful.

“It’s a snug place for us,” Meharg mentioned.