Ava Morales chipped a pass up the pitch leaving the ball open in the middle of the field. Lisa McIntyre capitalized, chasing after the possession with four minutes remaining in the match.
After missing their first 16 shots, the Terps found the equalizer on their final chance of the day. McIntyre had defenders on her back when Rutgers’ goalie attempted to kick the ball forward, deflecting the ball.
It went right back to McIntyre’s feet, leading to the Terps’ third score in conference play. Maryland (4-10-5, 1-8-2 Big Ten) played one of its best matches in Big Ten play — outshooting its opponents, 17-11, and earning a 1-1 draw on the road to Rutgers on Sunday.
The Terps’ season concludes without a postseason appearance, closing out the college careers of five seniors and a graduate student.
The Terps’ offense exploded early on Sunday, knocking into the Rutgers defense. They had three shots in the first five minutes, the most dangerous coming off the foot of junior forward Delaney DeMartino.
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Her shot in the box lifted a foot above the crossbar starting a sequence of aggressive opportunities. Sophomore defender Kennedy Bell followed, using her speed to drive the ball from the Terps’ defensive third up to the Scarlet Knights’ box.
Bell continued her strong play in the midfield by holding possession and notching one of the two shots on goal in the first.
Maryland started Sunday dominant in the offensive third, outshooting Rutgers by six in the first 20 minutes. Then a yellow card from Katie Coyle changed it all.
The foul gave Rutgers star forward Riley Tiernan the ball along the right sideline. Tiernan sent a long cross into the box, instantly meeting Emily Mason’s foot as she slammed the ball into the back of the net. The set piece weakened Maryland’s defense in the 24th minute and gave the Scarlet Knights the advantage.
The possession across the pitch evened out after Rutgers went up, although Maryland still found offensive opportunities. Maryland outshot Rutgers 10-5 in the first half. The Terps’ 10 shots in the first half were more than they tallied in any other Big Ten game.
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The game slowed in the second. Rutgers’ first shot didn’t come until the 10 minutes in. The Terps defense remained strong — goalkeeper and senior captain Liz Beardsley finished out her last Maryland game with seven saves. Her most significant came in the 57th minute.
Ashley Baran received the ball off a throw-in, spinning around and charging to the net. Swerving around two Maryland defenders, she moved ahead of the backline. Beardsley attacked, sliding to the ground and stopping the ball with her body.
Beardsley’s athleticism and continued aggressive play have been pivotal throughout the season, and were once again on Sunday.
Maryland maintained a stream of shots, adding seven more in the second half with three on target, putting consistent pressure on the Rutgers backline. Their aggression paid off. The tying score in the 87th minute ended the Terps’ year on a high note.
The 2024 season has been anything but simple for Maryland. It extended and eventually overcame a 700-day losing streak in conference play and switched head coaches halfway through the season, but the team found a way to finish out strong.
