Field hockey team finding roles for everyone

The Terrapin field hockey attack had lost the ball, and as it rolled toward the end line it seemed certain that Stanford would take possession. But midfielder Kristina Foster chased it down, beating out The Cardinal’s players and providing a new offensive possession for the Terps.

“Great end line defense,” coach Missy Meharg yelled from the sideline in praise.

The senior midfielder’s play is nowhere to be found in the box score of Friday’s 6-2 victory over Stanford, which gave the No. 1 Terps (18-0, 5-0 ACC) their first undefeated season in program history. But Foster is one of the role players who cement the lineup behind the more visible stars.

“You don’t necessarily have to score a lot or have a lot of assists or anything to be a great player,” back Brianna Davies said. “Everybody on our team has that potential.”

The top of the Terp roster is chock-full of scoring power. Forwards Nicole Muracco and Katie O’Donnell have both been starters since their freshman years, and lead the team in goals and points, respectively. And the defense is led by goalie Alicia Grater, who has the sixth-lowest goals against average in the country, and two U.S. Under-21 National Team members, Davies and Alexis Pappas.

But the Terps recognize the impact of all their players during their unbeaten regular season, saying the historic achievement and any successes in the postseason require every piece of the puzzle.

“It takes everyone working together to make this team what it is,” Grater said.

Substitute back Harriet Tibble, starting back Alicia Morawski and Foster are a few of the players whose work “behind the scenes” sets this team apart as the “most dynamic, fun-style, fast-paced team,” Meharg said she has coached in her 22 years at the helm of the program.

Foster, a new starter this season, began as a situational player in her first three years, working up from sometimes-substitute to significant contributor off the bench.

“I would come in as a substitute, usually man-marking one of the players on the other team’s attack,” Foster said. “I knew what my role was and I was proud of it. And after a lot of hard work and determination, I proved I could do that as a starter.”

Then, at the end of last season, Foster broke out and started nine games, including almost every postseason game. Now she applies the defensive expertise and skill set she developed as a role player from the starting whistle.

“Kristina has always been the role player, to pick things up, to change the pace, to set a new dynamic so that our opposition is thrown off,” Meharg said. “And today, she is a blue-chip field hockey player.”

That is the Terps’ plan. They don’t go for every top recruit in the nation at every position, Meharg said. Instead, they work to develop every player into an asset, forming a rock-solid foundation behind every record-breaking star.

Muracco, who broke the team’s all-time career goal record two weeks ago off an assist from Foster, said, “Everyone comes up big, so it just feels good. I couldn’t have done it without the passes from my teammates that were right on my stick.”

The Terps find success with players who want to support their team no matter what, whether by leading the front lines, coming in off the bench or working their way into the lineup.

“When I committed to Maryland, I understood the discipline and I loved the program,” Foster said. “But I didn’t expect to start or even play at all. I just wanted to help the team. So every time I get in the game now, it’s just a great feeling.”

kyanchulis@umdbk.com