Maryland rolled to its third Division I field hockey title in four years, downing Atlantic Coast Conference rival Wake Forest, 4-2, to capture the 2008 Division I Field Hockey Championship at Louisville November 23.

The top-ranked Terrapins claimed their second national title in four years and sixth championship overall. Senior Susie Rowe contributed a goal and two assists in the win. Rowe’s second-half goal was her 28th on the season, tying a Maryland record for goals scored in a season.

Wake Forest opened the scoring in the third meeting between the teams this year. Midway through the first half of the championship tilt, Hilary Moore buried a pass in goal to give the Demon Deacons the early lead. The Terrapins evened the score on the fifth penalty corner of the half when Rowe sent a hard pass to the right edge of the goal that was banged home by Nicole Muracco.

With the score tied, Maryland’s intensity continued to generate scoring opportunities. With less than four minutes remaining in the first half, the Terrapins’ Katie O’Donnell outmaneuvered several Wake Forest defenders and Demon Deacon goaltender Crystal Duffield to put Maryland ahead, 2-1.

Maryland extended the lead on Rowe’s record-tying goal early in the second half before Danielle Keeley rounded out the Terrapins’ scoring with Maryland’s fourth goal of the game at the 45:29 mark.

Wake Forest’s only scoring came from Moore, who added the Demon Deacons’ second goal in the closing moments.

Both Maryland and Wake Forest faced stiff overtime challenges in early berths in the championship. Iowa pushed Maryland into double overtime in semifinal action but fell short, 2-1, on O’Donnell’s deciding goal in the 89th minute. Wake Forest needed an extra period to nip Syracuse, 3-2, in the other national semifinal. Moore secured the victory and her first career hat trick with the overtime sudden-victory goal.

Wake Forest, which made its fifth NCAA finals appearance, closed out the season with a 22-4 record. The 22 victories tied the program record for the most wins in the season. Maryland finished with a 23-3 mark on the year.

Semifinals

Iowa                0  1  0  0 -  1

Maryland       1  0  0  1 -  2

First half: MD – Nicole Muracco (unassisted), 29:49.

Second half: Iowa – Lauren Pfeiffer (Caroline Blaum), 56:21.

Second overtime: MD – Katie O’Donnell (Susie Rowe), 89:05.

Shots: Iowa 11, Maryland 10. Goalkeeper saves: Iowa (Lissa Munley) 4, Maryland (Alicia Grater) 6. Penalty corners: Iowa 7, Maryland 4.

Syracuse       1          1          0          2

Wake Forest  1          1          1          3

First half: WF – Hilary Moore (unassisted), 10:36; S – Lindsey Conrad (unassisted), 19:43.

Second half: WF – Moore (Kim Romansky), 42:46; S – Conrad (unassisted), 57:10.

Overtime: WF – Moore (unassisted), 79:04.

Shots: Syracuse 16, Wake Forest 10. Goalkeeper saves: Syracuse (Heather Hess) 5, Wake Forest (Crystal Duffield) 5. Penalty corners: Syracuse 8, Wake Forest 3.

Championship game

Wake Forest              1   1   -   2

Maryland                   2   2   -   4

First half: WF – Hilary Moore (Liza Casella), 17:16; MD – Nicole Muracco (Susie Rowe), 24:58; MD – Katie O’Donnell (unassisted), 31:35.

Second half: MD – Rowe (Alexis Pappas, O’Donnell), 42:05; MD – Danielle Keeley (Brianna Davies), 45:29; WF – Moore (unassisted), 68:40.

Shots: Wake Forest 5, Maryland 13. Goalkeeper saves: Wake Forest (Crystal Duffield) 4, Maryland (Alicia Grater) 1. Penalty corners : Wake Forest 2, Maryland 9.