Terps have two options for one place in goal

Terrapin field hockey coach Missy Meharg knew replacing goalkeeper Alicia Grater was going to be a challenge.

Grater, who graduated after last season, won three national championships with the Terps during her career and played in all 24 of the team's games last season while amassing 105 saves and posting a 1.19 goals against average. The former Terp also notched eight shutouts in her final two seasons.

Meharg figured replacing her backline staple was going to be difficult. But she also knew she had options available at the position. This season, the No. 2 Terps (3-0) are using a two-goalie rotation involving junior Melissa Vassalotti and freshman Natalie Hunter, and Meharg believes the two have filled the void left by Grater.

"Both of them are playing very well," Meharg said. "We're in a position where we need both of these women to get quality Division I experience. Minutes are everything, and they're both playing well and are confident."

Meharg wants both to get in-game experience, something she believes will be invaluable come playoff time. As of now, the two have been rotating games: Vassalotti started the season opener against No. 13 Drexel and Sept. 3 against No. 17 Old Dominion, while Hunter got the nod against Villanova and will start Saturday against New Hampshire.

"We're going to give both Melissa and Natalie an opportunity to get some real quality minutes," Meharg said. "Natalie's going to play on Saturday [against New Hampshire] and Melissa's going to play on Sunday [against Rutgers], and I think we'll be in a better place for it when we get into November."

Both goalies have started the season well. Hunter stopped one shot during her lone start against Villanova in a 5-0 drubbing in Philadelphia. Vassalotti, meanwhile, has stopped nine of 12 shots on goal and is allowing 1.50 goals per game.

Against Old Dominion, Vassalotti recorded a career-high five saves en route to what Meharg said was "her best game at the University of Maryland."

Early in the first half of the Terps' 3-1 victory, the Monarchs took a slap shot off a penalty corner that Vassalotti stopped with a diving save. After a rebound popped loose, the Terp goalkeeper stopped another shot with a kick save, keeping the game tied and preventing momentum from swinging decisively in favor of Old Dominion.

Vassalotti said it's important for her to stay focused, in both games and practices.

"Just always staying ready," she said. "It's fun to get out there in a game situation, and that's what we work on every day in practice."

Players said they agree with Meharg's decision and support the system of rotating goalies, believing the competition can only benefit the team as a whole.

"Competition is healthy. It's good to push each other. So I'm excited to see what comes out of it," defender Alicia Morawski said. "Both of them are so reliable, and it's great that we do have that depth and the ability to exchange goalies."

jengelke@umdbk.com