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COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The third-ranked Virginia field hockey team (11-1, 1-1 ACC) suffered its first lost of the season, a 3-1 setback to top-ranked Maryland (12-0, 2-0), Friday in College Park, Md. Sophomore Paige Selenski scored the lone goal for the Cavaliers.

The Terps scored all three goals in the second stanza after UVa led 1-0 at the half.

The showdown was a physical one, proved by 12 cards issued to the two teams combined. Maryland dominated the second half with a 16-4 shot advantage while registering seven penalty corners.

“Without a doubt we have to put two halves together to win in the ACC,” Virginia head coach Michele Madison said. “We won the first half and they clearly won the second half. Both teams had to deal with players down, one or two at a time. Maryland took advantage of that and took possession of the ball. We needed to create more shots. It was a tough environment to play in.”

Selenski’s goal came at 32:45 on a counter-attack after Maryland was unable to covert on a penalty corner. Vittese gathered the ball and dribbled up the field, dished it over to Selenski, who then got past a defender and into the circle before putting it past UM’s Alicia Grater.

Maryland had another penalty corner to end the first half, and got the ball into the cage, but the score was called back after the umpires determined the ball had never left the circle. The Cavaliers led 1-0 at the break.

The Terps came out strong to start the second half and were able to tie the game at 46:25, scoring on a penalty corner as Nicole Muracco notched her first of two goals.

Just four minutes later, Maryland took the lead on another score from Muracco. After a penalty corner, Virginia was unable to clear the ball completely out of bounds and Megan Frazer zipped the ball into the circle where Muracco came charging in to gather it and put it through.

Virginia called timeout and was able to get some offense going but was unable to convert on a handful of penalty corners in the second half.

The Terps once again pressured the ball and were awarded a penalty stroke at 65:06. Emma Thomas put it past UVa’s Kim Kastuk to give Maryland a 3-1 advantage.

The Cavaliers registered 12 shots in the game, including eight in the second half, to 23 shots for the Terrapins. Maryland also had a 12-6 advantage on penalty corners.

Kastuk finished with a season-high 10 saves in the cage. Grater had seven stops for the Terps.

Virginia returns to action next Saturday (Oct. 10) with a 1 p.m. game against Cornell at the University Hall Turf Field.

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