Maryland women’s soccer struggled through conference play this season, winning just one match while going scoreless in nine of their 11 Big Ten contests. But the Terps didn’t relent in their season finale on Sunday.
Despite outperforming Rutgers for 90 minutes, the match finished in a 1-1 draw. But the Terps celebrated the result like a win.
Sophomore midfielder Lisa McIntyre watched yards away as her shot trickled into the net in the 87th minute. Throwing her arm around sophomore defender Kennedy Bell, the two sprinted toward the sideline. Maryland’s bench emptied, engulfing McIntyre in an assemblage of hugs and jumping players.
Even after the final whistle blew, the Terps’ smiles remained. They avoided another loss against one of the best programs in the Big Ten.
“To get a late goal is a good feeling and that gives us some positivity to exit the season with,” interim coach Michael Marchiano said. “We’re proud of the representation of the girls today despite it being a draw. I thought it maybe was one of our best performances of the season.”
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The late goal was the culmination of strong play throughout the match from Maryland. It registered 17 shots, their most in a conference bout this season. It had three more corner kicks and notched one more save than the Scarlet Knights.
The Terps started their Big Ten slate with a mere two-shot outing with nine fewer corners against Michigan State on Sept. 12. That group that faced the Spartans was different from the one that ended the season.
Maryland parted ways with former coach Meghan Ryan Nemzer on Oct. 10, which bumped Marchiano to interim coach status for the remainder of the season. He led the Terps to a Big Ten win over Nebraska in just their second match after the coaching change, a feat Nemzer didn’t accomplish in the past two seasons.
Marchiano didn’t change much tactically. He implemented small adjustments to player position but kept the overall structure the same, but there was an evident shift in energy. That was clear during Maryland’s celebration after McIntyre’s goal, and the overall showing against Rutgers.
“I think when our team is able to execute certain principles, it allows us to perform at a higher level,” Marchiano said. “It allows us to play a little bit more aggressively with the ball, without the ball. And I think today you see the team performing at a high level, and that allows us to grow in the game.”
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Sunday’s match highlighted the Terps’ key talent from their four senior captains — goalkeeper Liz Beardsley, midfielder Lauren Wrigley and defenders Halle Johnson and Katie Coyle. The quartet led Maryland from the backline to its attack against Rutgers, as they’ve done the entire year.
The four constants have each played more than 1,000 minutes across the season. Beardsley, the protector for the Terps’ defense, has anchored five shutouts.
“I think on any team, whether it’s the senior leadership or the leadership in general, you can’t be successful if you don’t have it,” Marchiano said. “And I know that a lot of the girls look up to them for their experience and what they’ve been through.”
Maryland’s season woes led to the exuberant celebration on Sunday, despite coming in a draw. The result prevented finishing tied for last in the Big Ten. The Terps, in a year of struggles, avoided another.
