Kelsey Smith carried the ball from the left corner of the box, maintaining her footwork around multiple Navy defenders. A minute after she checked back into the game, Smith took a shot.
She aimed at the near post and sent the ball toward the net. It rolled in and a 73-minute stalemate was broken. The Terps took their first lead of the contest and never looked back.
“When I went in I knew that it was still 0-0 and there was a good opportunity for me to take it,” Smith said. “I’m glad that it went in.”
Maryland snuck past Navy, 1-0, at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility on Thursday, earning its second win of the season. The Terps’ efforts snapped Navy’s three-game winning streak and gave them the completion at goal they needed.
Thursday looked similar to Maryland’s (2-1-2) last match, a low-scoring affair against James Madison. The Terps’ first goal didn’t come until late in the second half, and the Dukes’ quick response made the game even.
With just under 20 minutes left on Thursday, they needed to hold off Navy for the full 90 minutes without faltering. Maryland did just that.
“The last 15, 20 minutes our game changers just allowed us to keep the ball a lot more and basically got them tired with the amount of passes we were able to connect,” Nemzer said.
[Liz Beardsley has been vital for Maryland women’s soccer to overcome offensive struggles]
Navy’s (3-3) first shot came in the sixth minute. A Terp foul gave the Midshipmen a free-kick, allowing for a header shot by Kelly Tatum. A Liz Beardsley swatting save cleared the goal line and the teams played on.
The Terps created a few aggressive sequences in Navy’s defensive third. Increased pressure in the box earned Maryland its first corner in the 25th minute, but to no end. That was the Terps’ last offensive opportunity for a long stretch as Navy worked the field. The Midshipmen sent long balls up the line, and the Maryland defense successfully thwarted repeated crosses.
Kennedy Bell, who missed Maryland’s last game with an illness, returned to the backline. The sophomore is a sturdy centerpiece for the defense and played deep to ward off lone attackers.
A Peyton Bernard shot looked like it was going to give the Terps their first lead late in the first half, but Maryland was called offside. The sophomore forward placed a free-kick right in front of the net minutes later.
[The Diamondback Sports Digest: Previewing the Maryland football season]
A starter since her freshman year, Bernard’s crosses and corners created consistent offensive opportunities.
The first half remained consistent with Maryland’s previous starts — a slow possession game with moments of close calls near the net. Navy only outshot Maryland by one in the first half, although the Midshipmen had the sole shot on goal.
Intensity slowed to start the second period, as both teams were stagnant in the middle third. The first shot by Maryland didn’t come until the 58th minute, as the teams raced to score before the clock ran out.
Smith’s knock in the 74th minute was the difference. The late goal and Maryland’s continued defensive tenacity secured the team’s second victory of the season.
“Today was a great win for all of us and we’ve all been working so hard, but I think we need to keep that going forward,” Smith said. “I think this was a step in the right direction.”
