Maryland men’s soccer began Big Ten play facing the toughest defense its played against this season.

Wisconsin’s backline conceded only two goals in its first five contests in 2024, a mark tied for the fifth-best in the country — that tally more-than-doubled following the Terps’ best performance of the season.

A three-goal outburst propelled Maryland past No. 8 Wisconsin. 3-0, Friday night at Ludwig Field. It was the Terps’ highest-ranked win since 2019, and first conference win since 2022.

“That was our best performance of the year,” coach Sasho Cirovski said. “It was a complete effort from beginning to end, and it’s something we’ve been building to.”

The Terps (3-1-3) turned in their most clinical attacking display versus the best defense in the conference. They converted on three of the four shots on frame in the dominant win.

Maryland’s offensive was barely inside the top 70 in the nation, scoring just one goal a game. Its three-goal barrage began early in the first half.

It was midfielder Chris Steinleitner who scored just the third goal given up by the Badgers (5-1-0) this year 17 minutes in — which was his first in a Terps kit.

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Forward Max Rogers struck the post with a shot seconds earlier. On the ensuing corner, no player made clean contact with Rogers’ delivery. Steinlienter reacted the quickest as the ball bounced inside the box. He hit a first-time shot low to beat Wisconsin goalie Matisse Hebert.

Steinleitner’s strike was one of two attempts on target for Maryland in the first half. Bjarne Thiesen ventured forward on a corner and almost turned a deflected ball over the line, but was denied by Hebert.

Thiesen, who started for the second consecutive time, continued the Terps’ impressive attacking display at the beginning of the second half.

Rogers again whipped in a dangerous cross from a free kick that the Badgers couldn’t clear. Steinleitner won the initial header and flicked it on the back post. Thiesen nodded in his first goal of the year, doubling Maryland’s advantage in the 47th minute.

“Every game [Rodgers is] getting stronger,” Cirovski said. “You can see his effort off the ball defensively, but also when he gets the ball, he can just make so many things happen.”

Less than minutes later, Colin Griffith added a spectacular third.

The forward raced up the pitch. Wisconsin’s Roberto Burlew stuck in a challenge to try and win the ball but only threw Griffith off for a second. Griffith steadied himself just outside the box and curled a shot into the top corner. It was his second goal in two games.

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As the Terps scored more than any team has against the Badgers this year, they were also the first to prevent Wisconsin’s attack from scoring.

The Badgers scored over three goals a game in their first five outings, making them one of the six best offensive teams nationally. They’ve scored four or more goals in three of those games, and failed to score in only two halves entering Friday.

But Maryland’s defense prevented Wisconsin from generating any high-quality attacks.

The Badgers only produced two shots in the first 45 minutes, with a mere one on frame. Maryland goalie Laurin Mack tipped Burlew’s shot over the bar in the sixth minute.

Wisconsin generated more shots in the second half, but only put one on goal. Mack’s two saves were enough to collect his first clean sheet of the year.

“Everybody worked. I feel like our strikers never run that much,” Thiesen said. “If you keep the clean sheet, then out of nowhere, it also happens up front.”

Maryland put together its best performance all season to open Big Ten play. The Terps scored most of their chances against one of the country’s best back lines while limiting a top-rated Badgers’ offense in their first scoreless game this year.

Similar displays will be needed to continue a stretch of positive results as the season progresses.

“We know this is going to be the hardest Big Ten lineup in history… but we are also coming off the worst season we’ve ever had in conference play,” Cirovski said. “We’ve been waiting for a while to start Big Ten play, and we’re off to a good start.”