After a strong 2-0 start to the 2025 season, No. 4 Maryland will travel to Durham, North Carolina, to play in the Big Ten/ACC challenge. 

The Terps will take on No. 8 Boston College (2-0) on Friday and No. 5 Duke (1-1) on Sunday. Maryland will look to pass the early-season test against two of the best teams in the nation. 

This weekend will have a little extra meaning for six returning Terp starters. Maryland plays Duke for the first time since losing to the Blue Devils, 1-0, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last season.

The Terps can extend a three-game winning streak against Boston College and snap a three-game losing streak to Duke.

Maryland head coach Missy Meharg is in her 38th year leading the Terps, having won seven national championships and 27 conference championships. 

Meharg is 15-3 all-time against Boston College and 17-12 all-time against Duke.

Boston College Preview

No. 8 Boston College has started its season by taking down Maine, 2-0, and Indiana, 2-1. 

The Eagles took firm control of their opening game early on, scoring first a minute in, and doubling the lead eight minutes later. 

The latter came in a dramatic last-second victory over the Hoosiers. Madeline Leigh scored the game-winning goal after Boston College was given a penalty corner with only two seconds remaining.

Leading the way for the Eagles is junior Madelieve Drion, the team’s 2024 point and assist leader. Drion began the season picking up where she left off, scoring a goal in the opener against Maine.

The Terps will be the first of two top-five matchups for Boston College, before the Eagles take on the defending national champions and No. 1-ranked Northwestern on Sunday. They will have a chance to bolster their resume this weekend against some of the top competition in the country.

Duke Preview

No. 5 Duke started its season with a home loss to No. 17 Liberty, 4-3, and beat American, 2-1, on the road. 

Duke is led by head coach Pam Bustin, who previously served as the head coach for Hofstra and Louisville. Bustin took the Duke job in 2011 and beat eventual national champions Maryland in the ACC semifinals in her first year at the helm.

In Duke’s season-opening loss, the Blue Devils came out strong, scoring three times in the first 20 minutes of the game. Liberty then scored four unanswered goals, including a fourth-quarter score to take the lead.

Duke followed up its loss in the opener with a 2-1 win over American. The Blue Devils took a 2-0 lead into the half, and even after conceding a goal in the third quarter, they hung on to secure their first win of the season.

Before playing the Terps on Sunday, No. 5 Duke plays No. 1 Northwestern and will look to stay above .500 in the early stages of the 2025 season.

Will Maryland be able to continue its strong start to the season?

The Terps will face their two biggest challenges of the year so far, and it will be a big chance to bolster their resume and get reps playing against some of the top competition they will face all season.

Maryland will face off against its first two ranked opponents of the year, in a season in which it faces 11 of the preseason top 20. 

Friday and Sunday will be the first chance to show how the Terps will be able to handle the tough schedule, and ultimately work towards trying to win a national championship.

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