Taryn Raibon raised her hand, signaling her plan to dart toward the net. Kennedy Bell, playing from outside the box, placed the ball in front of Raibon. With just enough room, she took a shot over the diving goalie, putting Maryland on the board first in the opening 20 minutes.
Raibon’s score gave the Terps an early advantage before a Tiger goal in the 48th minute evened the score for good. Maryland and Towson drew Thursday night at Tiger Field, 1-1. It was Maryland’s third draw of the young season.
“Taryn is an exceptional player,” coach Meghan Ryan Nemzer said. “Her athleticism helps us on that piece of it and she’s just a competitor.”
Raibon’s offensive successes mirrored her performance against George Mason. Her pressure on the goalkeeper on Sunday gave the defender her first score and her first collegiate goal. Thursday’s execution proved to be just as fruitful.
The freshman has quickly established herself as a constant force for the Terps. Raibon often played deep in Towson’s (2-2-3) offensive third on Thursday despite being put on the backline.
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After notching 10 shots and two goals in the first half against George Mason, the Terps continued the momentum in the opening frame on Thursday. Maryland’s (2-2-3) first shot taken by Peyton Bernard occurred in the first five minutes. The Terps finished the opening half with five shot attempts.
“I think we need to lock in more and come together more as a team throughout the whole half,” Raibon said. “I think we did good physically and possession-wise on the ball, too.”
The Tigers kept on-pace with Maryland, also putting up five shots in the initial 45 minutes. Their two shots at the net were blocked, while the Terps’ one shot on goal crossed the net. Goalkeeper Liz Beardsley continued to be a stalwart in goal. The senior led the Big Ten with 22 saves entering the night.
Although the teams had similar shots at the net, the Terps created more opportunities with their foul-drawing prowess. Maryland earned three corners in the first half to Towson’s zero.
A goal scored by Towson’s Sophie Thibeault off a double assist tied the matchup in the 48th minute. The draw increased the intensity heading into the latter stages of the contest.
“We got to be more disciplined in the final third. I thought we were offsides a tad bit too much,” Nemzer said. “But really happy with the team’s performance.”
[Maryland women’s soccer allows three unanswered goals, falls to George Mason 3-2]
Emily Lenhard stepped up for a free kick in the 50th minute. Her shot bounced off the crossbar, slightly missing the back of the net. Lenhard, a consistent starter, ranked third on the team with 469 minutes entering Thursday.
Her attempt was followed by four scattered Terp shots across the next 25 minutes – the match remained a possession battle waiting for a tiebreaker.
Lenhard kept the long shots coming. She received the ball in the top left corner of the box and popped it up in the 73rd minute. The ball scurried over the back of the net.
The last shot of the game came off the foot of Bernard in the 87th minute. Neither team was able to break the tie, and the clock ran out with no victor. The Terps will return to College Park to face VCU on Sunday.
“I want to see a continuation of what we’ve been doing but now putting together 90 minutes,” Nemzer said. “That’s what we’re going to have to do to be successful.”
