Maryland women’s soccer vs. William & Mary preview

Despite playing four straight overtime games, Maryland women’s soccer has had a great start to the season and will look to finish its non-conference schedule undefeated with a win against William & Mary.

A victory would give the Terps a 6-0-1 record heading into Big Ten play a year after they went 2-5-1 in these games. Last year, the Terps defeated the Tribe, 3-2, thanks to a Jarena Harmon hat trick.

This game is scheduled for Thursday with a 7 p.m. ET start time, and it will be broadcast on BTN2Go.

William & Mary Tribe (4-2)

2016 record: 10-8-2, 4-4-1 CAA

Head coach John Daly. Daly (no relation to the golfer) has been running the William & Mary women’s soccer program for the past 31 years, guiding the tribe to 21 NCAA appearances in that span. He is one of 13 NCAA head coaches with at least 400 career wins.

Players to Watch

Sarah Segan, sophomore, forward, No. 9. After missing 2015 with an injury, Segan came back strong last year, scoring a team-high 10 goals in her first season. So far this year, Segan has tallied three goals through four games and leads the team with seven total points.

Rachel Moore, senior, midfield, No.8. Over her collegiate career, Moore has scored 16 goals and 45 points. Last season she set a career high, accumulating 17 points through 19 games, but she has only scored one goal so far to start this year.

Strength

Scoring. The Tribe have scored 12 goals through six games, and their two goals-per-game is tied for 57th in the country. However, in its last two games, William & Mary has only tallied one combined goal after scoring three in each of the team’s previous three games.

Weakness

Goaltending. Katelyn Briguglio, William & Mary’s primary starting goaltender, has struggled this season. In 505 minutes of play, Briguglio has allowed eight goals on 27 shots, so if she starts on Thursday, Maryland would be wise to play aggressively and dare her to make a save.

Three things to watch

1. Can Maryland play a consistent game? The Terps have played four straight overtime games, and in each they have had stretches of dominance and stretches where they were dominated. This is Maryland’s last chance to put together a complete effort before getting into conference play, where the competition level will surely increase.
2. Can Madison Turner keep up her strong play? Ever since Mikayla Dayes got injured, Turner has stepped up as the focal point of the offense, totaling one goal on 13 shots in the last two games combined. As Maryland continues to look for a constant on both sides of the ball, Turner is the team’s best bet to get keep the offense alive throughout the game.
3. Will Rachel Egyed be tested? The Terps’ goalkeeper had a tremendous performance against George Mason, keeping them in the game after several big saves. Going up against a relatively strong offensive team, Egyed’s presence in goal should make it easier for the rest of the team to develop consistent chemistry throughout the season.