Sammy Popper’s goals have come at just the right time for Maryland field hockey

In field hockey, victories are often narrow. Getting out to an early lead puts a team in firm control.

Scoring first has been crucial for No. 9 Maryland field hockey this season, and graduate forward Sammy Popper has frequently provided the Terps this advantage.

Popper has scored the first goal in four wins for Maryland (14-3) this season. Last week, she became the first Terp since Maryland joined the Big Ten to net the opening goal in three straight games.

With seven goals on the season, the Princeton transfer credits her team’s pregame excitement for her hot starts.

“It really [starts with] our attitude and conversations … one of our teammates gives us a pregame speech and it gets us all in the right mindset,” Popper said. “One of our goals is coming out and setting the tone … that we’re going to dominate the game, so first-quarter energy is a really big thing for us.”

Popper’s timely strikes came during the team’s most meaningful three-game stretch of the season. Popper scored the first goal against then-No. 16 Michigan, then-No. 9 Ohio State and then-No. 5 Iowa. Maryland never trailed in any of those games.

The Terps have outscored conference opponents, 8-0, in first quarters this season, and are 13-2 when they strike first.

“I love that fact,” Maryland head coach Missy Meharg said. “Because that has not been a key theme for Maryland historically; we’ve sometimes worked into games. But half of it’s been in preparation, and the girls are very clear on what the plan is.”

Last year, Maryland took a first-quarter lead in just three of its 11 Big Ten games. This season, the Terps have accomplished that feat in all seven conference games.

“A goal can come in a high-scoring game, but could also come when we’re so evenly matched with a team … that there are few opportunities to score,” Popper said. “So, getting on the board early, in a way, gives you a safety net to be strong defensively.”

Prioritizing fast starts has worked for Popper and the Terps thus far, and it will be even more crucial in Maryland’s regular-season finale at No. 1 Northwestern on Thursday. Trying to extend its seven-game win streak, Maryland will aim to hand the Wildcats their first conference loss of the season.

“A big key for us is going to be our speed, passing the ball, and getting ahead quickly because they’re a very fast team,” Popper said. “[We have to] come out fast and put them on their heels, so this is a game where it’d be really important to get a first-quarter goal.”