UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State women's lacrosse team is set to travel to No. 9 Maryland on Thursday, April 7. First draw is slated for 6:30 p.m., and the contest will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network.
The Nittany Lions (5-5, 0-2 B1G) face their fifth ranked opponent of the season in No. 9 UMD (10-1, 2-0 B1G). The Terrapins' only loss is to then No. 15 James Madison, 8-13. PSU defeated then No. 21 JMU, 14-10, in Happy Valley earlier this season.
PSU enters the game on a three-game skid, while UMD has won their last two contests.
HOW TO FOLLOW
Thursday, April 7 | 6:30 p.m.
Live Stats | Watch
SERIES HISTORY
• Penn State trails 16-43-1 in the all-time series vs. UMD but has won the last two matchups.
• Penn State won both contests vs UMD last season, beating the No. 7 Terps 15-13 on Feb. 21 and again on April 11, taking down No. 9 UMD, 16-9.
• The wins snapped a 17-game skid to the Terrapins.
• Last season against UMD, Kristin O'Neill combined for ten points between the two games. Sammy Dupcak had three caused turnovers and five ground balls in game one.
ABOUT THE NITTANY LIONS
• Penn State is still looking for their first Big Ten win after falling to Northwestern last Saturday.
• Sophomore Kristin O'Neill leads the Lions with 27 goals. She has nine multi-goal games this year. She also has a team best 34 points and 16 caused turnovers.
• Junior Kara Nealon has a team best 20 assists. She averages two helpers a game.
• Sophomore Kayla Abernathy has won a team best 43 draw controls. She wins 4.30 draws a game for fifth most in the league individually.
• Freshman Ashley Bowan has started between the pipes in the last seven games. She has a .392 save percentage.
PSU STATISTICAL RANKINGS
• PSU is fourth in the nation and first in the Big Ten in clearing percentage (.930).
• PSU is fifth in the nation and second in the Big Ten in fewest turnovers per game (11.1).
SCOUTING THE TERRAPINS
• UMD most recently defeated No. 20 Johns Hopkins, 17-6.
• Goalie Emily Sterling was deemed Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week after making a career-high 12 saves vs. JHU.
• Sterling averages 7.27 saves a game and holds the nation's top save percentage, .544.
• UMD is led offensively by Aurora Cordingley, who averages 3.64 goals, 2.73 assists and 6.36 points per game.
• UMD has four wins against ranked opponents, No. 7 Florida, No. 11 Virginia and No. 20 Johns Hopkins. They fell to No. 15 James Madison.
• The Terps are ranked eleventh on the NCAA RPI board.
MARYLAND STATISTICAL RANKINGS
• UMD is first in the nation in shots on goal per game (28.27) and fewest turnovers per game (10.82).
• The Terps are also ranked in the top-15 nationally in assists per game (7.18), caused turnovers per game (9.73), clearing percentage (.910) and draw control percentage (.562).
• They are ranked in the top-5 nationally in saves percentage (.529), scoring defense (7.45), scoring margin (8.82) and win percentage (.909).
ADDITIONAL NOTES
• Penn State is No. 21 on the NCAA Women's Lacrosse RPI board.
• On March 15, Kristin O'Neill earned Big Ten Midfielder of the Week honors after combining for 10 points in wins over No. 21 James Madison and Saint Joseph's.
• On March 1, Brooke Hoss earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors after combining for six goals in wins at Duquesne and Cornell.
• Senior Mary Muldoon and junior Rachel Spilker were elected captains for the 2022 season.
• Grad transfer Taylor Regan and sophomores Sammy Dupcak and Kristin O'Neill were named Big Ten Players to Watch.
• 2021's Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Kristin O'Neill, was named to the Tewaaraton Award Watch List.
• Head Coach Missy Doherty is in her 12th season leading the Nittany Lions.
• Doherty notched her 200th career victory following the Lions' Feb. 23 win at Duquesne.
• The team returned 22 players while adding one graduate transfer and seven freshmen.
UP NEXT
• Penn State returns home to host in-state foe Pitt on Tuesday, April 12.
• UMD plays at No. 11 Princeton on Wednesday, April 13.
