No. 4 Maryland women’s lacrosse at No. 8 Johns Hopkins preview

No. 4 Maryland women’s lacrosse has faced No. 8 Johns Hopkins 19 times. It hasn’t lost once.

The Terps will look to keep that going Wednesday when they make the short trip to Baltimore to play the Blue Jays. However, the feel this year is different, with the teams neck-and-neck in the Big Ten standings.

The game will be televised on ESPNU at 6 p.m.

Johns Hopkins Blue Jays (10-3, 2-1 Big Ten)

2023 record: 9-9, 4-2 Big Ten

Head coach Tim McCormack has turned around the program in his second season, positioning Johns Hopkins near the top of the Big Ten.

Each of the Blue Jays’ three losses this year have come against top-12 teams, while half of their 10 wins have come against ranked opponents. As well, four of their last six games have been decided by one score.

Players to watch

Ava Angello, sophomore attacker, No. 18 — As a freshman, Angello earned an all-American honorable mention after recording 40 goals and 13 assists. This season, she’s on pace to eclipse both marks, having already tallied 35 goals and 12 assists.

Ashley Mackin, junior midfielder, No. 27 — Mackin scored just six times as a sophomore, but this season sits only behind Angello on the team this season with 33 goals. She has the highest shooting percentage among Blue Jays.

Jordan Carr, senior defender, No. 42 — Carr is one of the best defenders in the conference, having caused over two turnovers per game this season.

Strength

Pace. The Blue Jays play with the third-fastest tempo in the nation, according to Lacrosse Reference. They rank fifth in the nation in assists (115), with six players having over 10 this year. Maryland which likes to slow opposing attacks, but it will have a tough challenge against a team which averages almost 15 goals a game.

Weakness

Efficiency. While they score a lot, the Blue Jays aren’t efficient in doing so. They rank last in the Big Ten in shooting percentage and average around 16 turnovers per game.

Three things to watch

1. Will Maryland rediscover its offensive rhythm? The Terps’ offense has taken a step back since their win over Rutgers, failing to score more than nine goals in each of their past three games. They’re coming off a season-high 22 turnovers against Northwestern.

2. Streak on the line. The Terps will need to be on top of their game to make it 20 straight wins against Johns Hopkins. The Blue Jays have performed well against ranked teams this season and are seeking revenge after last year’s 13-12 defeat in College Park.

3. Conference implications. The next two games on Maryland’s schedule are key for its Big Ten Tournament seeding. If it wins one of the next two games, a top-four seed becomes almost certain.