A constant among chaos

There have been few constants for the Terrapins women's soccer team this season.

From the Terps' injuries at center back to their inability to score goals, the team has seen its absolute best and worst come and go erratically.

For those reasons, Domenica Hodak has been a bit of an anomaly. With an attention-deflecting on-field persona, and at a position that normally has her chasing the opponent's biggest stars, it's sometimes easy to forget the steadying presence the defensive midfielder offers. Then she'll almost single-handedly shut down one of the country's top scorers, again reminding her coach that an intense spirit belies her mild manners.

"She comes off as being quiet," coach Brian Pensky said, "and I joke with her that she appears to not care about anything and she appears to be indifferent about everything, feel indifferently about everything, but really, she's one of the most competitive kids on our team."

In the ACC, widely regarded as the toughest conference in Division I, the Terps regularly face some of the most skilled players in the nation. And it's Hodak's determination that makes the defensive midfielder, known to her teammates as "Min," capable of matching them, attack after attack.

"Min is a character," forward Ashley Grove said. "She brings attitude, toughness. When I think of her, I think she's just a gritty player and I feel like every team needs a gritty player. She's always come up big for us in big moments, and she's a pretty awesome player. Very one of a kind."

Hodak has started 19 of 20 games this year for the No. 18 Terps and has played from start to finish in 10 of the Terps' past 11 matches. The lone game the junior didn't start was the Terps' Oct. 27 senior night game against No. 19 North Carolina, which she logged 89 of 97 minutes against. In ACC play, Hodak sat for only 18 minutes.

"She's just kind of that rock right in front of our backline for us," Pensky said.

Even in games when Pensky rests players, as he did in a blowout Oct. 13 win at No. 9 Florida State, Hodak remained on the field.

"Min's pretty fit," Pensky said. "She's fit, but she's also fortunate. Everybody's different in terms of their ability to go for a long time. … Some kids who are a little bit more muscular have a tough time bouncing back on a Sunday game, but Min has a body type that bounces back, and there's no question that two days later after playing 110 minutes, she still has the ability to play."

Playing in the midfield, Hodak doesn't accumulate many stats. Instead, she makes her impact with physical play against some of the top players in the country.

"I just think it's a big part of the game," Hodak said. "When we play other teams that bring physicality, we need to match that. I feel like it gives teams, especially our team when we're more physical, a better chance to win a game. I just feel like it's a big, important factor."

With the Terps in the midst of the NCAA Tournament, Hodak's play takes on an even more important role. In the team's 5-1 first-round victory over La Salle, Hodak helped largely shut down Explorers forward Kelsey Haycook and midfielder Renee Washington, although Washington did break free in the first half to score La Salle's lone goal.

Hodak and the Terps travel to Stillwater, Okla., today to start preparing for Friday afternoon's matchup with No. 3 seed Auburn, a team with some of the top midfielders in the country in Katy Frierson and Ana Cate.

"I am personally going to have to match their physicality in the middle and keep our team really calm and settle down and play our soccer," Hodak said. "When we do, we can beat any team."

Pensky specifically pointed out Frierson and Cate, along with midfielder Jessica Rightmer, as possible matchups for Hodak on Friday. And she may have to go at it alone at times.