Maryland women’s soccer draws at Navy, 0-0

After a three goal performance just two days before, the Maryland women’s soccer offense was shut out by in-state foe Navy in a 0-0 draw Sunday.

Both teams had some chances, with Navy putting four shots on goal to Maryland’s three, but nothing found the back of the net. The Terps were outshot 17-8 overall, but solid defense and strong goalkeeping from Rachel Egyed kept the Midshipmen off the board.

The first half was rather uneventful, as both teams traded scoring opportunities but neither made any legitimate attempts on goal. There was some action early on, though, with Maryland midfielder Loren Sefcik creating opportunities again with a shot that nearly got past the Navy goalkeeper. Egyed also made an impressive save when a corner kick landed right on the foot of a Navy forward just outside the goal box, holding the score at 0-0.

Ultimately, Navy held a majority of possession through the first half, mounting several chances but just not getting the right touches to turn those chances into goals. Navy outshot the Terps by a margin of 8-2, but only two of their shots were on goal with only the corner kick really giving Egyed any trouble.

The second half was more of the same, with both Navy and Maryland getting more shots but no more shots on goal than in the first half. A prime scoring opportunity was missed late in the half, as Hope Lewandoski and Alyssa Poarch nearly combining for the go-ahead goal in the 79th minute. Lewandoski played the ball perfectly over the goalkeeper just outside the penalty area to Poarch, who laid it off back to Lewandoski with an open net, but a foul on Maryland killed the opportunity.

The teams went into the 10-minute overtime period still scoreless. Both sides were able to mount opportunities again, but no goals were scored as the game went into a second overtime. The action continued for another ten minutes, this time with Rachel Egyed needing to make an impressive diving save to keep the game even. As time winded down the Terps made one last push towards goal, with Sydney Staier actually getting a look on goal but ended up pushing it just outside the right goalpost, ending the game in a 0-0 draw.

The Terps will have an extended break before their next match, this time heading for Philadelphia to take on Temple on Friday.

Three things to know

1. Rachel Egyed started and finished the match. The previous three games, Egyed and junior Erin Seppi had been splitting playing time in the net almost down the middle. However, head coach Ray Leone opted to keep the senior in for the full 110 minutes Sunday. The decision ultimately ended up being a good one, as Egyed saved all three shots she faced, including an important one late in the second overtime period.
2. The defense played well again. With the Maryland offense looking as if inconsistency could be an issue game-to-game, a strong defensive presence could be the backbone of this team. The previous two games, the defense has been able to limit the opposition’s opportunities and keep the Terps in each game. If the defense can hold up for the rest of the season, one or two goals per game from the offense might be enough to win contests.
3. Hope Lewandoski and Alyssa Poarch could become an powerful offensive duo. Several times this match, Lewandoski and Poarch played deep together into the attacking zone, with one of those runs almost resulting in a go-ahead goal. Despite being two of the younger players on the team, the two were able to combine for a few strong chances and fuel the Maryland attack.