By Jocelyn Hudnell
The University of Maryland’s field hockey team beat Iowa 5-1 in their final regular season game at the Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex Friday afternoon, bringing their record to 16-1.
The Terps outscored the Hawkeyes 2-0 within the first five minutes, solidifying a dominant start that set the tone for the rest of the game. They scored three goals in the first quarter and two goals in the third quarter.
Many familiar faces commanded the field. Maryland forward Maci Bradford scored the first goal of the game, had two assists, and ended the season as the team’s assist leader with 15. Goalkeeper Alyssa Klebasko also had three saves which helped deny Iowa a close game.
Entering the game, Terps midfielder Francisca Eschoyez was tied with teammate Babs Van Hest for the team lead in goals with nine. Eschoyez scored twice to take the team lead with 11 goals on the season.
Fans in attendance were pleased with the game’s atmosphere and the Terps’ performance.
Mustafa Siddiqui, a sophomore finance and accounting major, said this was his first time attending a Maryland field hockey game.
“I’ve enjoyed it,” Siddiqui said. “It’s pretty fast paced.”
He said the atmosphere of the game was “pretty good” and that Maryland had many fans that showed up to support.
Padraic Renaghan, a father of former UMD students who said he attends games a couple of times a year, felt excited about the team. He noted the Terps only had one loss heading into this final matchup.
Renaghan added that a win for the team would “set them up well” for the Big Ten tournament starting Nov. 4, with the NCAA Tournament to follow.
After losing to Northwestern the week prior and winning against Indiana on Sunday, the Terps ultimately finished the homestretch of their season with a victory. With a final conference record of 7-1, Maryland remained undefeated at home and ended the season outscoring their opponents 59-15 across 17 games.
“It’s always fun to see a Maryland team doing well,” Renaghan said.
No. 2 Maryland has their first tournament game Wednesday, Nov. 4, in Columbus, Ohio against the No. 7 seed Ohio State.
Featured Image: The crowd waiting for the game to start at Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex on Friday October 30, 2026. Photo by Jocelyn Hudnell.