No. 13 Maryland field hockey opens season with dominant 3-0 shutout of Drexel
No. 13 Maryland field hockey opened the 2026 season exactly the way it wanted Friday afternoon, blanking Drexel 3-0 at the Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex in College Park.
The Terrapins scored twice in the opening quarter, controlled possession for most of the afternoon and limited Drexel to just five total shots. Maryland also extended one of the program’s most impressive streaks by winning its 30th consecutive season opener.
Fresh faces made an immediate impact. Aida Ierubino and Babs van Hest each scored the first goals of their Maryland careers, while Maci Bradford supplied two assists in the opening quarter.
Maryland strikes twice in the first quarter
The Terps came out attacking and did not wait long to establish control.
Drexel actually generated the game’s first dangerous opportunity in the third minute when Pili Lemoine directed a shot toward the bottom corner, but Maryland kept the Dragons off the board and quickly flipped the field.
Ierubino then broke through for Maryland, finishing her first collegiate goal to give the Terps the early lead.
Van Hest followed later in the first quarter with her own first goal in a Maryland uniform, making it 2-0 before the opening period ended.
Bradford assisted on both goals, giving the senior playmaker two assists in the opening 15 minutes.
That fast start allowed Maryland to dictate the remainder of the game.
Terps completely control possession
Maryland’s advantage went well beyond the scoreboard.
The Terrapins outshot Drexel 27-5 and consistently kept the Dragons pinned in their defensive half. Only one Drexel shot reached the Maryland cage, a reflection of how well the Terps controlled the midfield and protected their defensive circle.
That performance becomes even more impressive considering the caliber of Drexel’s attack.
The Dragons entered the season as the defending CAA champions after winning the 2025 conference tournament and earning an NCAA Tournament berth. Drexel was also picked second in the 2026 CAA preseason poll, while Valentine Van Hellemont was named the conference’s preseason player of the year.
Maryland never allowed that talent to become a factor.
The Terps’ pressure and zonal defense kept Drexel from developing sustained attacks and made life relatively easy for Maryland’s goalkeepers.
Vasilios adds insurance
Maryland carried its 2-0 advantage through the second quarter before adding another goal after halftime.
Maddie Vasilios scored in the third quarter to extend the lead to 3-0 and essentially put the game away.
From there, Maryland continued managing possession and kept Drexel from mounting any serious comeback attempt.
The Dragons used Halle Geiger and Alana Poole in goal, with both making five saves. Drexel finished with 10 saves as Maryland repeatedly tested the cage throughout the afternoon.
Maryland used a deep rotation as well, with 18 players seeing action. That allowed head coach Missy Meharg to keep pressure on Drexel while also getting valuable early-season minutes for a roster that underwent significant turnover during the offseason.
Defense starts season with a shutout
The clean sheet may have been just as encouraging as the three goals.
Maryland entered the season with several important defensive pieces returning, including veteran goalkeeper Alyssa Klebasko and defender Josie Hollamon. At the same time, the Terps had to replace a number of contributors from last season.
Against Drexel, the new-look group looked organized immediately.
Klebasko and Ryleigh Osborne combined for the shutout, while the players in front of them prevented Drexel from generating many quality chances.
Holding a defending conference champion to one shot on goal is about as good of an opening defensive performance as Maryland could have asked for.
Season-opening streak reaches 30
Maryland has built one of college field hockey’s premier programs under Meharg, and the season-opening streak is another example of that consistency.
The Terrapins have not lost a season opener since 1996. Friday’s victory made it 30 consecutive opening-game wins.
Maryland also continued its recent dominance of Drexel, recording its 12th straight victory over the Dragons.
The result was particularly encouraging after a disappointing 2025 campaign in which Maryland finished with 10 victories and missed the NCAA Tournament after beginning the year ranked No. 4 nationally.
The 2026 Terps began the season ranked No. 13 and entered the year looking to reestablish themselves as a national contender.
Friday was a good first step.
Newcomers make immediate impact
Perhaps the most encouraging part of Maryland’s opener was the production from players making their first major contributions for the Terps.
Ierubino and van Hest both found the cage in their Maryland debuts, while Bradford immediately resumed her role as one of the team’s primary offensive creators.
Maryland’s offseason featured significant roster changes, with 12 players departing through graduation or transfer. Meharg rebuilt the group with transfers and a highly regarded freshman class.
Getting goals from newcomers immediately provides an early indication that the new pieces are beginning to fit.
The schedule will become much tougher quickly. Maryland’s 18-game regular-season slate includes seven teams that qualified for the NCAA Tournament a year ago.
The Terps will need that depth.
MSB Take
This was about as complete of an opening game as Maryland could have wanted.
The final score was 3-0, but the 27-5 shot advantage tells an even better story. Maryland was not hanging onto a lead or relying on its goalkeeper to steal a result. The Terps controlled the game.
That matters against Drexel.
The Dragons are not simply an easy nonconference opponent. They won the CAA last season, went to the NCAA Tournament and entered 2026 with one of the conference’s top players. Maryland made them look uncomfortable for most of the afternoon.
The biggest positive may be the newcomers.
Maryland lost a significant amount of talent from last year’s roster. Ierubino and van Hest scoring immediately is a very encouraging sign, especially with Bradford creating both goals.
The Terps still have plenty to prove after missing last year’s NCAA Tournament. Beating Drexel in August does not answer every question about whether Maryland is ready to return to the national championship conversation.
But this is how you want to start.
Maryland scored early, defended at a high level, controlled possession and gave its younger players meaningful minutes without ever losing command of the game.
For a program that expects to compete nationally every season, Friday looked much more like Maryland field hockey.
And after the disappointment of 2025, that may be the most important takeaway of all.
