With history as guide, tonight might not be too tough for field hockey

Since Towson played its first-ever field hockey season in 1976, the Tigers have never won a national championship, never won a conference tournament and never won more than 11 games in a season.

The Tigers, in 28 tries, have also never defeated the Terrapins field hockey team.

The No. 3 Terps are 26-0-2 all time against Towson, having won every matchup in the teams' series since 1977. Tonight's match against Towson (8-7) at the Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex will be the latest installment in the one-sided in-state rivalry.

And if the series' most recent contests are any indication, tonight's game has the potential to be a laugher for the Terps. In their past four meetings with the Tigers, dating back to 1999, the Terps have averaged more than eight goals per game, reaching double-digit totals twice in that stretch.

But even with 23 consecutive victories over Towson, the Terps aren't ready to write off the Tigers. Coming off an emotional loss to No. 1 Old Dominion on Oct. 14 and preparing for a tough road test at No. 2 North Carolina on Saturday, coach Missy Meharg and the Terps know tonight could be a trap game.

"For us, playing against Towson can be difficult," said Meharg, who is 14-0 against Towson in her tenure. "Not necessarily the outcome, but in the quality. Our goal is to play a certain standard of hockey. We're coming in all over the map, so we need to put two quality halves together."

"We're just going to come out as hard as we do in every other game and hopefully play the best we can," defender Ali McEvoy said. "Staying present, staying in the moment and just remembering what we have to do as a team."

Even though Towson might be the least talented team on the Terps' schedule, tonight's game could provide the team with valuable preparation for its showdown with North Carolina this weekend.

The Tigers are lacking in some areas, but they are quick on the attack and their style of play mirrors that of the Tar Heels, perhaps lending the Terps some insight into how their game could look Saturday.

"They've got some speed up front, and that's what we need to practice against," Meharg said. "Their formation is very similar to UNC, so that can only help us."

Although the Terps are national-title contenders, tonight's game could still be an interesting test for them. The team has been inconsistent at times this season, and Meharg remains unsure of which squad the Terps will be when they step onto the field.

"It's really every game at a time this year," Meharg said. "I can't tell you exactly how we're going to walk out, but I think that's what makes this team challenging but exciting."

vitale@umdbk.com