Forward Alex Anthony splits the defense during the Terps’ 1-0 loss to James Madison at Ludwig Field on Sept. 10.
Terrapins women’s soccer forward Alex Anthony was shocked by how aggressive her Big Ten opponents played last season.
Anthony said teams attacked the ball for the entire game, a more physical style than the redshirt sophomore grew accustomed to in the ACC.
After finishing with a 3-5-5 conference record in their inaugural Big Ten campaign last season, the Terps (5-3) are prepared for the conference’s toughness the second time around. Coach Jonathan Morgan’s squad will begin its 11-game conference slate Friday night against No. 15 Rutgers (7-0) at Ludwig Field.
“It was really hard to pull these teams out of position,” Anthony said. “They sit 11 players behind the ball and you’re 30 yards away from goal, so there’s 11 players in front of you. How do you break that down? That’s really difficult to do.”
Morgan, in his ninth season with the program, grew familiar with each team’s tendencies last year. Game-planning, though, is difficult because each foe adjusts formations and schemes each game to keep the opponent guessing. That wasn’t the case as much in the ACC, and Morgan said he knew what to expect each matchup.
While the Terps’ new conference is more physical, Morgan said the conference has become more tactical over the 10 years since his time as an assistant at Ohio State in 2005 and 2006.
The tempo has slowed, and Morgan said the Big Ten has become more of a possession-orientated league, with coaches using their athletes’ sturdy bodies to break pressure.
“Just go out there, be physical, be strong and we’re going to win this game by kind of pushing everyone around,” Anthony said. “In the ACC, it was ‘may the best team win.’ It’s not like that in the Big Ten.”
This summer, forward Gabby Galanti said the Terps, who have an average height of 5 feet, 6 inches, spent a lot of time in the weight room. By working the ball down the wings, Galanti hopes to open up the middle of the field and create scoring opportunities against Rutgers’ defense, which hasn’t allowed a goal in 630 minutes this season.
Last season, though, the Terps didn’t have a consistent scoring threat to break down the Big Ten’s aggressive defenses with Anthony and Galanti missing time due to injuries. With a healthy Anthony, whose six goals are tied for the second most in the conference, the Terps are confident they’ll find the back of the net.
“We know that the Big Ten is more tough, grittier and more physical,” Galanti said. “[We need to] focus on us and not so much the other opponents. Just how we’re going to get the wins.”
Morgan served as a volunteer coach at Rutgers from 2002 through 2004 and worked with current Scarlet Knights head coach Mike O’Neill. Even before watching film of Rutgers on Tuesday, Morgan was familiar with the schemes O’Neill likes to run.
Morgan knows his former colleague might change his game plan for Friday, though.
“Let’s say Rutgers has been playing in a 4-3-3,” Morgan said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they come out in a 3-5-2 or a 4-4-2.”
The element of surprise makes preparation tough, but the Terps spent the summer working out for this moment. They are ready if Friday night’s match becomes physical.
“Now, it’s like there are no cupcakes,” Morgan said. “Everybody has great players and very organized defenses. The intensity level of these games is just going to increase [tenfold].”
