Wisconsin found space at the edge of the Maryland women’s soccer’s penalty box.
After connecting multiple passes, Aryssa Mahrt played a sly back heel ball that beat a Terps defender and fell into the path of Natalie Viggiano. The midfielder unleashed a first-time effort towards the far post that beat Maryland goalkeeper Emory Wegener, completing Wisconsin’s comeback.
The Terps fell to the Badgers 2-1 at McClimon Track and Soccer Complex Thursday, marking their third-straight conference loss.
Thursday’s matchup against No. 23 Wisconsin was the second-consecutive ranked opponent for the Terps faced after the Badgers returned to national rankings in the latest coaches poll.
Maryland continued its poor streak against Wisconsin, a meeting which the Terps have never won.
The Terps opened the scoring with their first shot of the game.
Mia Isaac pushed forward to win a 50-50 ball in the midfield. She wasted no time finding the feet of Stahl, who cut onto her left foot to create separation from the nearby Badgers defenders before slotting the ball beyond the goalkeeper at the near post.
[Late goal dooms Maryland women’s soccer to 1-0 loss to No. 4 Rutgers]
The Maryland defense was able to keep the Badgers out in the opening 45 minutes. Wisconsin’s offense could only record a single shot at halftime, but couldn’t get it on goal, leaving Wegener with little to worry about.
Maryland recorded just two more shots before the half, both of which came off the boot of Catherine DeRosa. Only one forced a save from the Badgers goalkeeper as the first half ended with little action after the Terps’ goal.
Maryland looked to maintain its narrow lead, but the Badgers had explosive second-half performance in recent fixtures against Purdue, Iowa and Northern Illinois earlier this month.
Wisconsin repeated those showings within the first minutes of the second half, racking up two corners and finding its breakthrough in the 50th minute.
[Maryland women’s soccer blows lead, loses 3-2 to Illinois]
A Badgers corner sailed toward the center of the box and into the path of forward Rylee Howard, whose unchallenged strike right outside the goal box went in to tie the match.
Viggiano’s goal in the 64th minute gave Wisconsin the lead. The Badgers scored twice on their first three shots of the half, while Maryland only recorded one at the time of the goal.
Maryland began to pile on the pressure in the final minutes. Stahl fired a strong left-footed shot after a quick corner and cross into the box. The effort was spilled by the Wisconsin’s goalkeeper, but the Terps couldn’t capitalize on the late chance.
Maryland surrendered its second-straight lead after falling victim to a second-half comeback this season against Illinois at home last week.
The Terps will return home to Ludwig Field for their next two fixtures against Michigan State and Penn State.
