For the first time since September 29, Maryland women’s soccer notched a point as it drew a 0-0 tie with Michigan State. The Terps snapped a five-game losing streak with the result.
Once again, goalkeeper Rachel Egyed was superb. She finished the game with six saves, all of which were crucial in keeping Michigan State off the board and Maryland in the game. Egyed continued her theme of being the best player on the field Saturday night.
The first half was pretty evenly played, but Maryland had its fair share of chances. Gi Krstec and Anissa Mose each had a chance on a one-on-one, but their shots went high and wide, respectively. The Terps also had two corner kick opportunities, neither of which lead anywhere.
Yet, despite the chances, Maryland failed to register a shot on goal in the first half compared to three for Michigan State, even though the Terps consistently had better chances than the Spartans.
The second half was a continuation of the first, in that both sides had their chances but struggled to break the seal. Maryland notched four shots on goal in the half, and Mary Johnston had a scoring chance but was ruled offsides on the play.
Michigan State’s best chance came late in the second half off a corner kick try, but after the ball bounced off a few heads in the air Egyed corralled it to keep the game a scoreless tie.
With about eight minutes to go, Krstec sent a shot just off the goalkeeper Reilley Ott’s hand out of play. Two minutes later, Hope Lewandoski had a breakaway chance that also went wide thanks to an Ott save. In both cases, Maryland failed to convert on the ensuing corner kick.
Maryland totaled six shots-on-goal, and nine total, in the second half as it turned on the pressure vs. the Spartans and came close to ending the game.
In overtime, Michigan State had the first scoring chance, but Rachel Egyed made tough save to keep the game going. However, just like the rest of the game Maryland took control of the extra time. In the second end of overtime, Darby Moore pressured Michigan State and forced a corner kick that landed in front of the goal, but the Spartans cleared it just in time.
Maryland closes the season on the road against Purdue Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET.
Three things to know
- This was Maryland’s best performance in weeks. For the first time in a long time, the Terps had control of most of the game, especially in the second half. They put a ton of pressure on the Spartans, forcing Ott to make quick decisions and important saves to keep the game tied.
- Maryland’s offense finally found its groove. After weeks of inconsistent play in the opponent’s zone, the Terps offense played fast and played together. Krstec, Lewandoski and Mose each had multiple scoring chances and made good decisions when in possession of the ball. Lewandoski and Krstec combined for seven shots, while Jlon Flippens had two of her own.
- Maryland’s defense was once again strong. Despite a few rough showings this year, the Terps defensive unit has been a constant, and they once again showed up tonight. The Spartans struggled to get open looks for much of the night thanks to Maryland’s defense clearing the ball at the right times and not giving the Spartans any room to operate.