For the second consecutive game, Maryland goalkeeper JJ Suriano was pulled from her duties midway through the Terps’ game.
The sophomore allowed seven early goals by the second quarter — prompting her pull with under eight minutes left in the frame in favor of freshman Julia Ward.
But, her time on the sideline was brief. Suriano returned in the third quarter as Ward equally struggled, and Maryland’s defensive woes pinned the Terps into a three-goal deficit.
Suriano wouldn’t allow another goal until 1:41 remained in the fourth — allowing the Terps’ offense to score nine unanswered goals. No. 8 Maryland used the second-half rally to come back and defeat Arizona State, 18-14 at The Sun Devil Soccer/Lacrosse Stadium.
Prior to this week, Suriano was substituted just once and responded the next game with 11 saves. But she left the Terps’ 13-12 loss to Penn on Monday early, surrendering 11 goals in nearly 47 minutes.
Following goals on three consecutive shots, Ward replaced Suriano with 7:51 remaining in the second quarter. Suriano made three saves on ten shots on goal, but Ward did not play much better.
The freshman stopped the first shot she saw but surrendered goals on the next five shots she faced, prompting coach Cathy Reese to put Suriano back in the net with 8:44 remaining in the third quarter. Suriano played much better, making four saves and finishing with a .438 save rate.
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Reese’s decision to put Suriano generated life for her squad as the Terps finished the quarter on a 5-0 run, erasing a three-goal deficit and taking a 14-12 lead into the final quarter.
The Terps carried their offensive momentum into the fourth quarter as midfielder Kori Edmondson immediately extended Maryland’s lead with her fourth of the goal contest. It was the third consecutive game she’s reached the mark and the fifth time this season.
In Maryland’s prior two games, Reese voiced displeasure with her team’s offense. Maryland failed to eclipse a 41 percent shooting percentage against Oregon and Penn. But on Thursday, the Terps featured a 58 percent shooting percentage.
Turnovers plagued Maryland in its game on Monday against No. 14 Penn, committing nine in the first half and limiting its offense to five goals. They played a much cleaner half against Arizona State, surrendering just three turnovers.
The lack of turnovers allowed the Terps offense to flourish in the opening quarter, scoring six times from four different players. Midfielders Devin Livingston and Maisy Clevenger each recorded multiple goals in the quarter. The two finished the game with three goals, respectively, marking the first time this season either player recorded a hat trick.
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Defender Kennedy Major missed Monday’s contest against No. 14 with an illness. The junior’s presence was missed as the Terps struggled to contain the Quaker’s top goal scorer, Anna Brandt, who recorded four goals.
With Major out for a second consecutive contest, Maryland’s defense faced similar woes. Attacker Teagan Ng entered as Arizona State’s top goal scorer with 43 goals, and similar to Bradt, Ng dominated. The junior need just one half to match Brandt’s goal total, giving the Terps trouble when driving through the eight meter-arc.
The Terps also struggled to play clean defensive possession, committing 21 first-half fouls and putting the Sun Devils on the free-position line ten times. Arizona State struggled to convert in the opening quarter, but its final last four goals of the half all came on free-position attempts — with two coming from Ng.
The Terps played a much cleaner second-half, surrendering only three free positions and allowing Maryland’s offense to go on a 9-0 run to help close out the game.
