Catherine DeRosa attempted to contain a Rutgers attacker in her own penalty box, but when she went to tackle the ball away from danger she tripped her opponent and gave the Scarlet Knights an opportunity to break the deadlock late in Saturday’s game.
Kylie Daigle stepped up to the penalty spot and sent her left-footed strike soaring past goalkeeper Liz Beardsley and into the bottom left corner of the net to give Rutgers the opening goal in the 85th minute.
The Scarlet Knights’ late penalty kick proved to be enough to defeat the Terps on Saturday, 1-0. Maryland’s lack of offensive connection resulted in the Terps’ sixth consecutive scoreless outing as their winless streak also was extended to six games.
“I’m really proud of how they came and they rallied,” coach Meghan Ryan Nemzer said. “Whether it was their teammates, I felt like they rallied around me a little bit … so I’m really proud of what they did today.”
The Scarlet Knights controlled possession from the starting whistle. Rutgers’ offense consistently pressured the Terps’ defense in their own defensive third.
Ashley Baran found herself free behind the Maryland (3-6-5, 0-5-1 Big Ten) backline in the second minute. Baran danced around Caroline Koutsos to register a distant left-footed shot towards the bottom left corner of the goal. Beardsley nearly missed the ball and allowed it to bounce out for a corner kick rather than collecting the strike.
Beardsley’s focus remained strong through the match. The junior earned four saves in her 14th start of the season, remaining Maryland’s only goalkeeper to play the net this year.
In the 22nd minute, Allison Lynch headed the ball off the corner kick toward the top right of the net. Beardsley acrobatically dove to push Lynch’s header out for a corner and keep the game scoreless.
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The Scarlet Knights (6-5-3, 2-3-1 Big Ten) continued to push for the opening goal as the half came to a close. Rutgers played precise through balls up each sideline to glide past Maryland defenders.
But the Terps’ defense was able to contain the Scarlet Knights’ attackers. Maryland managed to keep up with the quickness of Rutgers’ attacking movement, tracking opponents as they shifted positions and opened up space to move the ball.
“In terms of chemistry, I think our trust in each other has definitely built since the beginning of the season, since the last game even,” Kennedy Bell said.
Despite a late offensive push from Rutgers, the Terps kept the Scarlet Knights scoreless despite the away team registering 10 shots in the first half. Maryland recorded just one shot in the opening 45 minutes and the teams entered the break tied 0-0.
Rutgers earned an opportunity to break the deadlock in the first minute of the second half deep in the Maryland penalty box. Gia Girman drove behind the Terps’ defense and received a quick pass with only Beardsley to beat, but was flagged offside.
Katie Coyle anchored the backline Saturday, blocking a handful of Rutgers shots and movements near the goal. In the 52nd minute, Coyle followed Allison Lowrey as the ball skipped through the penalty box. Coyle stepped to the ball, rather than following Lowrey, and settled it before finding a teammate with a pass to play out of pressure.
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Maryland began to increase its rhythm as it entered the latter stages of the match.
Lisa McIntyre saw a surging Hannah Schaprio in the 71st minute. The freshman sent a through ball to Schapiro, who sprinted past the Rutgers back line against the run of play. Schapiro attempted to chip the goalkeeper, who came out of her net to meet the midfielder, but sent the ball over the top of the net.
“Everyone had a lot of fight to them,” Coyle said. “We talk a lot about getting in the final third and kind of having that mentality that you’re gonna be the one to put it in the back of the net.”
In the 83rd minute, Eden White sent a long ball to a running Peyton Bernard. Bernard continued to the goal line before cutting the ball back to Bell. But Bell missed her first-time shot from right in front of the net as Maryland’s failed to convert its best opportunity of the evening.
“I wanted to hit it,” Bell said. “But I heard someone behind me say ‘leave it’ at the last second, so I kind of pulled out of it … that’s on me.”
Beardsley made another crucial intervention for the Terps in the 84th minute. Baran managed to get a foot on a Scarlet Knight cross and deflected the ball on net. Beardsley made a point-blank save and pushed the ball away from danger to keep the game tied at zero.
But Rutgers finally found the back of the net via its 85th minute penalty kick and were rewarded for outshooting Maryland 19-5 on Saturday as the Terps remained rooted to the bottom of the Big Ten standings.
