COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Ninth-ranked Iowa field hockey could not overcome a three-goal first quarter by No. 2 Maryland, falling 5-1 at the Maryland Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex as the Hawkeyes head toward the Big Ten Tournament.
Iowa dropped to 12-4 overall and finished its Big Ten schedule at 4-4. Maryland improved to 16-1 and 7-1 in conference play.
The Terrapins established control almost immediately. Maci Bradford scored just 1:21 into the game, and Francisca Eschoyez followed at 3:25 to give Maryland a two-goal advantage before four minutes had elapsed. Eschoyez struck again at 11:37, leaving Iowa facing a 3-0 deficit after the opening quarter.
The Hawkeyes kept Maryland off the scoreboard in the second quarter and found an opening early in the third. Following a penalty corner, Jordan Byers scored at 31:48 to cut the margin to 3-1. It was her second goal of the season.
Maryland answered less than three minutes later. Bradford collected her second goal at 34:29, restoring the Terrapins’ three-goal cushion. Ella Beach added another at 43:53 to complete the scoring.
Despite the four-goal final margin, Iowa finished just one shot behind Maryland, 11-10. The Terrapins held an 8-4 advantage in penalty corners.
Hawkeye goalkeepers Julia Claessens and Abby Johnson combined for four saves. Claessens took the loss, moving her record to 6-3.
The defeat followed Iowa’s recent shutout victory over Penn State, when Claessens earned the first clean sheet of her college career. Against Maryland, however, the early scoring burst left the Hawkeyes chasing the game throughout.
Iowa will return to action Wednesday, November 4, at the Big Ten Tournament in Columbus, Ohio. An opponent and start time were not included in the university’s release.