Maryland women’s soccer vs. James Madison preview

Despite scoring three goals in its home opener against Navy Thursday night, Maryland women’s soccer was still unable to find its first win of the season.

The Terps came out hot against the Midshipmen, scoring their first two goals of the season in the opening 20 minutes of the match. However, a second half rally from Navy saw the Terps fall into a 3-2 deficit with just over fifteen minutes remaining. A late equalizer from defender Katie Coyle tied the score at three, resulting in Maryland’s second draw of the season.

Now, the Terps will hit the road down to James Madison in search of their first victory.

Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. Sunday and will be streamed on ESPN Plus.

James Madison Dukes (2-1-0, 0-0-0 Sun Belt)

2022 record: (12-4-5, 6-1-3 Sun Belt)

Under head coach Joshua Walters Sr., James Madison made it to the Sun Belt conference championship game in its first year as a member of the conference.

Prior to the 2022 season, Walters Sr. signed a four-year extension through the 2025 season, which he followed up by the team to a second consecutive winning season.

Players to watch

Amanda Attansi, junior forward, No. 15 – Attansi was the Dukes’ offensive leader in her sophomore season. She finished the year with a team-high nine goals and three assists, spearheading the Dukes to the conference championship game. She also recorded 55 shots, more than double the any other player.

Alexandra Blom, redshirt senior goalkeeper, No. 1 – Last season, Blom was named the Sun Belt Goalkeeper of the Year and was chosen to the All-Southeast Region first team. She tallied 71 saves and a .866 save percentage.

Brittany Munson, redshirt senior defender, No. 66 – Munson was the captain of a defensive unit that recorded 13 shutouts last season — the most in program history. She started in 20 matches and played a team-high 1,753 minutes last season, resulting in an All-Sun Belt first team selection.

Strength

Defense. The Dukes were an unstoppable defensive force last year. They led the conference in both save percentage (.870) and goals allowed per game (.57). This season, James Madison has allowed five goals in two games, which could be a reflection of its tough non-conference schedule.

Weakness

Offsides. Last year, James Madison was a dominant force that made a legitimate push for a conference championship, but had one glaring weakness. The team was called offsides 54 times in 21 games, the most by an Sun Belt team.

Three things to watch

1. Can the Terps continue to score? Game three didn’t result in a win, but getting the offense rolling was a victory itself. The Terps scored some impressive goals, with the second coming from a transition on the break. If Maryland’s offense can build on this, the Terps won’t be winless for much longer.

2. Will the lineup remain the same? So far this season, head coach Meghan Ryan Nemzer has made alterations to her starting lineup every game. Last match, she put Isabel DiPrima and Lisa McIntyre in the midfield, and the offense held up. Will she keep this lineup, or will she look to make any defensive changes to a backline after the second-half comeback?

3. Can the freshman keep it up? Defender Kennedy Bell has been a difference maker at full back, already making some insane runs with the ball. Forward Peyton Bernard had an assist on Thursday, and Madison Krakower scored the second goal of the game. It’s a promising sign for the future of the program to see these performances, but their consistency is still in question.