The Hoosiers are looking for a win against the Terrapins as they aim to play in the championship game Sunday.
“It will be a big confidence booster going into the NCAA Tournament if we can win this,” freshman defender Andrew Gutman said.
Maryland is a familiar foe for IU, as the Terrapins beat the Hoosiers 2-1 in last year’s tournament. The Hoosiers have also not beaten the Terrapins in their last three matches, but every opponent is equally important to IU Coach Todd Yeagley.
“Really, it’s just anyone that’s in our way,” Yeagley said. “I don’t necessarily feel that beating Maryland would be any sweeter.”
The Hoosiers have scored nine goals and only conceded two in their last fives games. Their record is 9-1-1 throughout the last 11 games.
“We had a little bump in the beginning and middle of the season,” Gutman said. “Bounces just weren’t going our way, but we were still playing well. I mean, 9-1-1 in the past 11 games — so I think we are really hitting stride, and we are going to be dangerous in the next couple of weeks.”
For some players, this weekend represents an opportunity to win their first tournament as a Hoosier, but it is also the last chance for players like senior forward Femi Hollinger-Janzen to add another Big Ten Tournament medal to their trophy cabinets. Yeagley said the team has a good mix of experience and hunger.
“There’s a good combination of some youth and some experience,” Yeagley said. “We will rely on the older guys to help the young guys to keep them composed and give them that confidence to start the game.”
Maryland adopts a high pressure game and force opponents into mistakes. The Terrapins also have a fluid forward line and players who perform well with interchanging positions. However, Yeagley said he feels the Hoosiers will be fine as long as they do not dally on the ball in dangerous areas.
“They press as much as we do — not all the time, but when they do it’s really good,” Yeagley said. “They don’t let you get comfortable, so we have to be ready to not be lured into playing in certain areas and getting casual with the ball.”
Beyond that, IU is focusing on being confident in preparation for Friday.
“This weekend is going to be huge for our team,” Hollinger-Janzen said. “We are fighting for a championship each game, and we are going into every game ready to play and be confident in ourselves.”
