The Maryland women’s soccer team’s coaching staff has been bothering midfielder Kate Waters to shoot more often.
In the Terps’ match at Illinois on Friday, the instructions paid off.
With less than seven minutes remaining in regulation and the score tied at zero, Waters fired a shot from the corner of the 18-yard box, rifling it off the far post and in to give the Terps the lead and a 1-0 victory. The goal came at a crucial time for the Terps, who are missing some key attacking players.
“It was an incredible strike,” coach Ray Leone said. “It came back to her on that play and she had a phenomenal first touch, then she has a cannon. She got all of it and it was a great finish.”
The Terps (7-2-1) worked on a certain play coming off the dead ball in preparation, and Waters’ goal was proof of the execution.
Illinois put the ball out of play about 20 yards from the goal. Defender Zoe Clark launched the throw-in toward forward Madison Turner, whose back faced the net at the corner of the six-yard box. However, the ball fell to a Fighting Illini defender, who attempted to sweep it away, but the clearance was weak.
That’s where Waters came in.
“It came right to my feet, so I took a touch by one of them and just took the shot,” Waters said. “It was a great feeling.”
After the ball crossed the goal line, the Terps mobbed Waters as she ran with her arms extended. The score was the second of her career and her first of the season.
As excited as the players on the field were, Waters said she also was given an extra boost from the players off the pitch.
“It’s a great feeling to have the team on the field swarm you and whatever, but one of the greatest things I saw was, they told me to look at the bench and the bench was just going insane,” Waters said. “It was … one of the best feelings ever.”
Not only was the goal timely in the match, but it came at an important moment for the Terps.
The score delivered the team its first Big Ten win in 2017, matching last year’s total. Taking three points at Illinois provided a boost of confidence, Waters said.
“It really was a lift to our team,” Leone said. “To start out the Big Ten on the road, then get anything, that’s a good start for us.”
Waters’ effort also served as relief for an attack missing several key players. Top-scoring forward Mikayla Dayes is out for the season, while The Terps’ best goal scorers from last season, Chelsea Jackson and Jarena Harmon, both missed Friday’s match with injuries suffered at Rutgers on Sept. 17. Jackson was out again at Northwestern and Harmon was only fit enough to make a second-half cameo.
With the important forwards out, the Terps lost, 2-0, to the Wildcats. Defender Jlon Flippens started at striker, showing the continuous moving parts in the squad. Unlike Friday, the Terps were unable to break through offensively.
However, if players like Waters chip in goals, the Terps will find more ways to pull off victories.
“Losing [the injured players] was definitely tough for us but we need more people to step up and take that role now,” Waters said. “Whoever is going to be the one to contribute is great.”
