No. 11 Maryland women’s lacrosse opens Big Ten play with 16-8 win at No. 22 Rutgers

It didn’t matter how; Maryland girls’s lacrosse senior attacker Hannah Leubecker scored in each which manner.

Whether or not it was a free place, a minimize to the entrance of the web, a rocket from the 12-meter or eight-meter or perhaps a purpose in shut confines, Leubecker was a goal-scoring machine. Doing all of her work within the first two quarters, she set the tone with 5 objectives and propelled No. 11 Maryland to its first Huge Ten win of the season in opposition to No. 22 Rutgers, 16-8.

Maryland will play subsequent on Wednesday at 5 p.m. in opposition to Penn.

Maryland commenced the sport by profitable the opening draw management. After about 45 seconds of working the ball across the perimeter, Leubecker stepped right into a rocket of a shot from simply contained in the 12-meter fan. In her first look since her lower-body harm, Leubecker picked up proper the place she left off.

“She lit it up when she first went on the market and that sort of ignited the spark that we wanted,” head coach Cathy Reese mentioned. “It was an important vitality for us to sort of play off of.”

Nevertheless, the Scarlet Knights clapped again, profitable the following draw management and scoring rapidly. Rutgers was extraordinarily affected person, holding the ball and ready for an open passing choice.

Ultimately, star attacker Marin Hartshorn discovered Ashley Moynahan slicing simply left of the cage, and he or she beat graduate defender Abby Bosco’s breakup try on the shot to tie the sport.

The Terps dominated the following 5 minutes of recreation time, shifting the ball round with confidence and conviction. On one rating, freshman midfielder Kori Edmondson acquired a go from 20 yards out, and with out hesitation fired a bullet throughout the sphere to a streaking Leubecker, who capitalized on the chance.

Leubecker scored the Terps’ first 4 objectives, with just one approaching a free-position shot. In some methods, it was refreshing to see them execute a constant fashion of offense. Within the first quarter Saturday, Maryland’s assault was stuffed with motion and expert isolation scoring.

Specifically, Edmondson and senior attacker Libby Might every had objectives that highlighted their spatial consciousness, pace, agility and quick-release pictures.

Within the first body, Maryland’s protection was as soon as once more aggressive and put ample strain on the Rutgers midfield and assault teams. At instances, the Terps’ method went effectively, inflicting plenty of errant passes and turnovers. In different circumstances, their strain mentality backfired, and the Scarlet Knights’ fast decision-making discovered an open participant throughout the neighborhood of the cage.

On the finish of the primary quarter, Maryland led 7-5.

The primary portion of the second body was a hard-nosed defensive battle the place no scoring befell. Every squad’s protection saved attackers at bay after a highly-contested first quarter stuffed with scoring.

The groups discovered it troublesome to enter even the 12-meter fan, and if it was tried, it was shut down instantly. By the primary 10 minutes, Maryland had just one shot try.

It even had a two-minute woman-up alternative however couldn’t capitalize. The Scarlet Knights’ suddenly-composed protection was stifling.

“First half, I believed we turned the ball over manner an excessive amount of, which we did with 10 turnovers,” Reese mentioned. “Rutgers has accomplished a very nice job this season of switching issues up…we knew that we had been going to see just a little of their zone and just a little of their man [coverage].”

Lastly, with 4:49 remaining within the half, Might broke the silence when she scored her second purpose of the sport on a free-position alternative.

Within the last minute of the half, Maryland gave up a heartbreaker with simply 18 seconds remaining. The rating got here from a front-net cutter, which Maryland had beforehand accomplished so effectively protecting for the previous 14 minutes.

However Maryland recovered immediately, profitable the draw management and shoveling it forward to Leubecker, who positioned a shot completely within the top-left nook for a purpose with simply two seconds left. It was her fifth of the sport, and the Terps took a 9-6 lead into the break.

Within the third quarter, the Terps received out to a sizzling begin, scoring three objectives within the first 5 minutes of enjoying time. Every got here from a distinct scorer, and every was a singular purpose.

Might scored first, using her slicing skills and capitalizing on a go by junior attacker Eloise Clevenger from instantly behind the web. Edmondson’s second purpose was much like her first — she remoted to the left of the web and dodged earlier than lifting her stick excessive above her head and bouncing the ball proper on the purpose line for the rating.

Clevenger’s purpose got here from X. She was circuitously pressured, so she creeped across the facet of the cage and snuck one into the nook earlier than the Scarlet Knight protection might react.

Clevenger had one other purpose later within the quarter that embodied her skillset effectively, which is to function in tight areas across the cage. It ended up being the ultimate rating of the body, one during which the Terps dominated wholly.

“There have been a few moments once I had my defenders beat,” Clevenger mentioned of her assault mentality. “Typically it’s nearly being a risk and truly taking it to purpose as an alternative of creating that go.”

Within the fourth quarter, the Terps continued their momentum from the earlier body and stalled the Rutgers offense. Whereas on offense themselves, they had been affected person, centered, and barely sloppy.

Maryland has progressed extraordinarily effectively on the subject of closing out video games. Earlier within the season, it allowed runs by groups who weren’t as expert, permitting it to work its manner again into the sport. This afternoon, nonetheless, the Terps had been regular, profitable the ultimate body 2-0 and coasting to a victory.

Three issues to know

1. Leubecker’s emphatic return. After lacking two video games as a consequence of harm, Leubecker got here again in fashion, scoring throughout the first two minutes of play and by no means wanting again. Her first 5 pictures had been all objectives, and he or she additionally had each a brought on turnover and a floor ball within the first half.

“It simply occurred,” Leubecker mentioned. “I used to be excited to get these alternatives to have the ability to put some away.”

The Terps’ second-leading goal-scorer on the season didn’t add something to the scoresheet within the second half, partly as a result of different gamers started to see enjoying time as Maryland elevated its lead. Nonetheless, the win wouldn’t have been potential with out Leubecker’s efforts, and he or she illustrated the additional dimension that she provides to the offense effectively.

2. Draw management battle. The draw management disparity is price noting as a result of coming into Saturday’s recreation, Rutgers defender Meghan Ball had essentially the most draw controls per recreation within the Huge Ten. Nevertheless, the Terps delivered on this aspect of the sport, profitable the battle 19-8. Shaylan Ahearn delivered with seven draw controls, whereas Bosco had six. On Rutgers, Ball had 5, and no person else got here near matching her whole.

“I believed our draw crew was nice,” Reese mentioned. “They needed to transfer the ball to the opposite facet of the circle … as a result of Abby was developing with [ground balls]. However Abby was nonetheless in a position to come away with most of them.”

3. Taking pictures share. The Terps very effectively could have had their finest taking pictures efficiency of the season Saturday. They completed with 28 pictures, 23 of which had been on web. That they had 16 objectives to point out for it.

All season lengthy, Reese has spoken of the implausible shooters Maryland has. Might, Edmondson and Leubecker spotlight the expertise in that division. She has additionally talked about how because of this, she expects a taking pictures share of no less than .500. Saturday, the Terps had been simply in a position to meet this quantity. It will likely be compelling to see if Maryland can carry this efficiency into its subsequent matchup in opposition to Penn.

“These guys had been firing and we had been ending performs,” Reese mentioned. “Everybody was getting concerned in numerous seems to be in numerous methods.”