The Terps look to snap their string of draws.
Maryland women’s soccer had a case of déjà vu on Sunday against James Madison, giving up a two-goal deficit in the second half for the second game in a row.
The first 65 minutes were stellar from the Terps, as they didn’t allow a shot in the first half and freshman forward Lisa McIntyre scored her first two collegiate goals. But the Dukes stormed back, scoring two goals in the last 10 minutes to thwart Maryland’s seemingly comfortable win.
The Terps have now tied three of their past four games.
Head coach Meghan Ryan Nemzer spoke Tuesday about her team’s approach following these draws.
“We either, you know, roll up our sleeves and work harder, or we can turn our backs on it,” she said. “And they’re working harder right now. … I think a lot of it is, you know, obviously in these high pressure situations, learning to deal with those moments during training sessions.”
The team now travels on the road to take on VCU. The game is set for Thursday at 7 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.
VCU (1-2-1, 0-0 Atlantic 10)
2022 record: 8-3-8 (6-1-3 Atlantic 10)
The Rams have been successful under head coach Lindsey Martin, highlighted by a conference championship in 2021. VCU has a 90-56-20 record during her tenure, and it doesn’t seem like she’s going anywhere soon after being named Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year in 2021.
Players to watch
Kendyl Sarver, sophomore forward, No. 12 — In her freshman season, Sarver was one of the best overall players in the conference. Her eight goals were the sixth-most in the conference as she took home the A-10 Rookie of the Year award. She already has two assists and a goal this season.
Kanna Matsuhisa, junior midfielder, No. 5 — Matsuhisa was a key cog in the Rams’ midfield last season, finishing the season with six assists — the third-most in the conference. She also added an impressive 54 shots on target. She was later named to the all-conference second team.
Anna Bagley, redshirt senior midfielder, No. 2 — Bagley may very well be the most talented player on VCU’s roster. Last season, she was an all-conference first-team selection after tallying three goals and five assists. This season, she’s off to a great start with two goals and two assists, both of which lead the team.
Strength
Shots on net. Last season, one of VCU’s strengths was getting plenty of attempts on net. The Rams finished with 276 shots on goal last season, good enough for the third-most in the conference.
Weakness
Goalkeeping. The Rams had one of the best goalkeepers in the conference last season in Whitney Horton, who finished third in saves. This season, VCU’s goalie tandem has gotten off to a poor start, allowing two goals in each of the team’s losses. In total, the Rams have the second-fewest saves in the conference.
Three things to watch
1. Another quick back line collapse? The last few games have been very similar for Maryland’s defense, which has usually looked solid this season. In consecutive games, the team has given up two goals within a span of 10 minutes in the second half. In order to pick up their first win of the season, the Terps will have to hold strong for all 90 minutes.
2. Will the goals keep on coming? Despite the results, one thing Maryland can be proud of recently is its scoring. The Terps have tallied five goals in the last two games after not scoring any in the first two games of the season. If this level of scoring continues, the Terps should have no trouble finding their first win of the season, as long as the defense can keep it together in the second half.
3. Maryland’s growth. Despite the lack of wins, Nemzer has been thrilled with the team’s development.
“Anybody who watches our games right now, it is night and day from last year,” she said.
Last season, the team also didn’t have a win through four games, so it’ll be fascinating to see if Nemzer’s optimism produces results.