Three fourth-quarter goals lift Maryland over Penn State — September 17, 2026

Maryland answered a third-quarter equalizer with three goals in the fourth, beating Penn State 4–1 on Sept. 17 in University Park to begin Big Ten play with a road victory.

Babs van Hest broke the 1–1 tie early in the final period. Ella Beach and Maci Bradford added goals as the No. 5 Terrapins improved to 7–0 overall and 1–0 in conference play.

Brinkley Eyre had given Maryland an early lead, scoring her first career goal in the sixth minute, according to the official recap. The box score lists the goal at 5:28 with an assist to Maia Adamson.

The Terps put all seven of their first-half shots on target but entered halftime ahead by only one. Penn State goalkeeper Aby Deverka helped keep the Nittany Lions within reach, and Ella Gaitan tied the game at 35:46 with assists from Olivia Marthins and Sienna Dunn.

Maryland did not record a shot in the third quarter. Its response in the fourth was decisive: van Hest scored at 46:20, Beach followed at 49:39, and Bradford completed the scoring at 54:15.

Feliz Kuhne assisted on Beach's goal. Beach then joined Kendall Gilmore in supplying the assists on Bradford's finish.

The official box score credited Maryland with 12 shots, all on goal, while Penn State finished with seven shots and two on target. Deverka made eight saves; Maryland recorded one.

For the Terps, the final quarter turned a closely contested conference opener into a three-goal result without requiring overtime. It was Maryland's 10th Big Ten-opening win since joining the league in 2014. A home meeting with Wake Forest was scheduled for Sept. 20.