It took over 83 minutes against Illinois on Friday for the Maryland women’s soccer team to score its first Big Ten goal of the year. The Terps didn’t score in a loss to Rutgers in their conference opener Sunday.
So, when midfielder Kate Waters collected the ball, took a touch to the right side and fired her shot off the post and in with under seven minutes left in regulation, the Terps’ bench erupted as the team mobbed Waters.
The Terps held on to defeat Illinois, 1-0, for their first Big Ten victory of the season.
The Illini (3-8-0) got off to a quick start, pinning the Terps (7-1-1) in their own defensive third in the opening several minutes. They took three corner kicks in the first six minutes, but the Terps absorbed the pressure and began to turn it on the hosts.
By the end of the first 45 minutes, the Terps outshot Illinois, 7-4. Their closest chance was an effort off the crossbar from the left foot of midfielder Jlon Flippens.
The relatively open first period had chances from each side but ended scoreless. The Terps still have not allowed a goal in the first half of a game this season.
In the second frame, the Terps maintained possession in Illinois’ half. Despite five shots on goal as the pressure from the Terps mounted, the sqaud had difficulty beating Illini goalkeeper Jaelyn Cunningham, who made nine saves in total.
However, Waters notched just the second goal of her career and her first of the 2017 campaign to secure the victory.
A foul on the edge of Maryland’s 18-yard box gave the Illini a chance to level the score as time expired, but Terps goalkeeper Rachel Egyed caught the curling free kick and punted the ball away emphatically, her teammates running to celebrate with her.
