Goalie Julia Hammerschlag learned earlier this week she would be making her first start for the fourth-seeded Maryland women’s lacrosse team in its NCAA tournament opener Friday against visiting Robert Morris. The senior handled replacing starter Emily Sterling with poise, unflustered by the postseason’s elevated stakes or the Colonials’ limited scoring chances.
The Terrapins’ overpowering attack did the rest, with three players contributing hat tricks during a 17-1 triumph in damp conditions at the Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex in College Park. A ninth consecutive win in the first round of the NCAA tournament sent Maryland (13-5) into Sunday’s second round, in which it will face James Madison.
Terrapins Coach Cathy Reese elected to start Hammerschlag to provide the Florida transfer extended minutes for the first time this season while allowing Sterling, the two-time reigning Big Ten goalie of the year, to nurse an undisclosed injury. The Dukes figure to be a much more formidable obstacle in Maryland’s quest to reach a 13th Final Four in the past 15 tournaments.
“Really proud of her,” Reese said of Hammerschlag while adding that Sterling remains day-to-day. “She hasn’t had too many opportunities this year to get out there. We spent a lot of time earlier this week talking about doing your job and when your name is called being ready to step up, and there’s no better example of that than Julia today coming in and anchoring our defense. She made some great saves out there. She brought that energy and enthusiasm and confidence.”
Hammerschlag made two stops in the opening minutes and finished with a career-high eight saves on nine shots (88.9 save percentage). Maryland’s offensive uprising in the early going helped Hammerschlag gain comfort, and the Terps finished the first quarter with a 5-0 lead over the Colonials (8-12). Midfielder Kori Edmondson and attacker Eloise Clevenger each scored twice during the initial onslaught.
Senior attacker Kate Sites led Maryland with a career-high four goals, including three in the second half. Her first goal with 1:31 to play in the second quarter expanded the lead to 8-1, capping a 3-0 run to close the half for the Terrapins after Robert Morris drew within four on midfielder Jenna Irwin’s goal early in the period.
Edmondson and attacker Hannah Leubecker each scored three times in Maryland’s most lopsided victory in the NCAA tournament since it beat Colgate, 20-4, in the first round in 2009. It also was the first time since 1980 the Terrapins permitted just one goal in an NCAA tournament game.
Midfielder Shaylan Ahearn controlled the faceoff circle, winning eight draws. The first-team all-Big Ten selection won six in the first quarter when Maryland spent the majority of the time with possession in the offensive zone, firing volume shots against Colonials goalie Sydney Riker (eight saves on 25 shots on goal).
“Personally, I thought [Hammerschlag] was the person who almost ignited” Maryland’s fast start, Ahearn said. “She came out and made a huge stop right in the beginning, the first few minutes of the game, and so I think she proved to herself and proved to everyone else that she does belong on that field in this moment. She did her job, and when she did that, we all kind of came together and almost settled in a little bit.”
The Terrapins showed no rust from a layoff lasting almost two weeks. They last played April 27 in the Big Ten tournament, getting upset by Rutgers, which won in College Park for the first time in program history. Sterling left that game in the second quarter after absorbing an injury attempting to make a save.
Hammerschlag came off the bench in place of Sterling for roughly half of the second quarter, surrendering one goal on a free position shot. Sterling reentered thereafter, but heading into the NCAA tournament Reese determined her long-term health would benefit from sitting out against Robert Morris, which was making the second NCAA tournament appearance in school history.
The most minutes Hammerschlag had logged before Friday was 19:49 in a 20-5 victory over William & Mary on March 6 in Williamsburg. She recorded two saves against the Tribe and had made four stops in four appearances entering the matchup with the Colonials, who began the season 0-6 but secured an automatic NCAA berth by winning the Mid-American Conference tournament.
The defense in front of Hammerschlag shone, too, with the Terrapins rotating several defenders, starting with midfielder Aiden Peduzzi, to mark Irwin and stifle the Colonials’ leading scorer. The first-team all-MAC junior had 36 goals going into the NCAA tournament but was held to three shots Friday.
“We were feeding off the defense’s energy,” said Edmondson, who left the game in the second half after a collision and sat out the remainder of the game for precautionary reasons. “Julia was making great saves in there, so that just carried over to the offense.”
