Maryland and Florida have played each other just three times – and the Terps are 3-0 in the series.
In 2015, the Terps won 16-6 in College Park, Md.
In 2016, they again emerged victorious 14-4, this time in the swamp.
Then in 2017, the eventual national champion downed the Gators 18-8 back on its home turf.
All Maryland victories. All by 10 goals.
Each year, the Terps advanced to the national championship, winning in 2015 and 2017, while the Gators failed to advance past the second round even with first-round byes the past two seasons as a nationally ranked team.
NO. 1 MARYLAND AT NO. 4 FLORIDA
WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 17, 12 p.m.
WATCH: YouTube
Prior to the start of 2018, Florida coach Mandee O’Leary said she was done hearing the story of her team being ranked and not winning.
“It’s not, ‘The monkey is on our back because we lost the last two years,’” O’Leary said.
The Gators will be looking for their first win in the series this weekend as they again square off against Maryland.
It will be the first true test for the Terps, having dominated William & Mary 18-7 on Sunday, while Florida enters the matchup with confidence after defeating then-No. 16 Colorado 16-9 in its home opener, thanks to a strong freshman class combined with veteran leaders in Shayna and Sydney Pirreca and Lindsey Ronbeck.
Though Maryland has the assurance it needs as well. Every year, it has experienced turnover of top players with graduation, yet still manages to advance to Memorial Day weekend. It has not lost a true road game since April 5, 2014 at North Carolina.
The Terps are stacked on offense with Caroline Steele and Megan Whittle, plus the midfield, led by last year’s Big Ten Rookie of the Year Kali Hartshorn, gets a boost with Louisville transfer Meghan Siverson. Plus, the Terps boast one of the nation’s top goalies in Megan Taylor, who made a career-high 20 saves to help them beat the Gators last year.
The Maryland-Florida tilt will be a showdown you won’t want to miss.