Maryland women’s soccer vs. Ohio State preview

After suffering a blowout loss to Penn State, Maryland women’s soccer (3-2-5) was only able to muster a draw against Purdue on Thursday.

The Terps came out of the game swinging, outshooting the Boilermakers, 10-0, in the first half. But in the second half, the Boilermakers made a run that prevented Maryland from finding a winner in crunch time, resulting in a 0-0 tie.

Now, looking to get things rolling in conference play, Maryland will host Ohio State on Sunday. The Terps are seeking revenge after losing to the Buckeyes, 7-0, last season.

The match will take place at 1 p.m. on Sunday and be streamed on Big Ten Plus.

Ohio State Buckeyes (4-3-2, 0-1-1 Big Ten)

2022 record: 11-6-3 (5-3-2 Big Ten)

Head coach Lori Walker-Hock has established a successful program at Ohio State in her nearly three decades at the helm. The three-time Big Ten Coach of the Year made an appearance in the NCAA Tournament last season, but lost in the second round.

A few key pieces from last season returned, and this team has shown it has the quality to make another run during conference play this season.

Players to know

Kailyn Dudukovich, junior forward, No. 21 — In terms of goal scoring, Dudukovich is among the Big Ten’s best. She has seven goals, the third-most in the conference, to go with four assists this season.

Amanda Schlueter, freshman forward, No. 2 — Schlueter has responded well to significant playing time in her debut season. Having started all nine games, she’s chipped in three goals and three assists to start her collegiate career.

Mirann Gacioch, sophomore defender, No. 17 — Last year, Gacioch started 15 games for the Buckeyes and was named to the All-Big Ten freshman team. This season she’s been a reliable piece in the back, starting all nine games.

Strength

Recent form. Despite losing to Nebraska on Thursday, the Buckeyes have been playing well as of late. They are 3-1-2 in their last six matches, giving the team some extra confidence.

Weakness

Goals allowed. Ohio State has suffered a few bad losses this season, and its defense has not looked great. The Buckeyes have the highest goals allowed average in the Big Ten, giving up 1.56 goals per game.

Three things to watch

1. Can Beardsley keep it up? Maryland’s goalkeeper Liz Beardsley was the brightest spot in the team’s 4-0 loss to Penn State, making nine saves. Against Purdue, she made a clutch save in the 83rd minute to preserve a draw. It will be interesting to see if she can show up again on Sunday.

2. Will the Terps score? Maryland has failed to score in consecutive games for the second this season. The Terps have scored the fewest goals among Big Ten teams with nine this season, and they need to get their attack back on track.

3. Can the team improve on last year’s record? Maryland head coach Meghan Ryan Nemzer’s goal has been to improve every season. Last season’s record of 4-8-5 could be surpassed Sunday, with Maryland already sitting at four wins this season.