Aug. 20, 2009
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
The Maryland Terrapin women's soccer team begins the 2009 season with a two-game swing through the Empire State.
The Terps open the season on Friday night, Aug. 21, in West Point, N.Y., against the Army Black Knights. The match is slated for a 7:30 p.m. kick at Army's Clinton Field. Following the match with the Knights, the Terps move on to play Fordham on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Maryland is coming off a 2008 season that saw it compile a record of 7-10-1 with a young squad that showed tremendous improvement throughout the course of the season. That young team is now a year older with a season's worth of experience.
The offense will look to take advantage of opposing defenses with skill and speed. Leading that effort will be the team's leader in points from last season, sophomore Lydia Hastings. She will be joined up top by fellow sophomores Jasmyne Spencer, who scored goals in both of Maryland's preseason games, Sade Ayinde and Ashley Grove. Several talented freshmen also figure to play key roles in Maryland's offense pressure.
Defense has long been considered the strength of the Terrapin team, and the 2009 squad looks no different. Anchoring the defense will be team captain and returning first team All-ACC goalkeeper Mary Casey. With Ayinde's move up top, the back-line features three returnees from last season's stingy defense.
Senior captain Brittany Cummins has been a key figure for the Terps for the past three seasons, playing in 51 games and making 38 starts. Sophomores Becky Kaplan and Skyy Anderson join her as returning standouts. Kaplan was moved to center back last season due to injuries and established herself as one of the top young defenders in the ACC. Anderson saw significant action and can also be a factor in the offense from her wide back spot.
For Army, the game marks the debut for Stefani Golan as the Black Knights' head coach. She takes over a team that won the 2008 Patriot League tournament, earning a bid to the NCAA Tournament. That squad heavily relied on its seniors, but the Black Knights got plenty of production from its freshmen, who scored 12 of Army's 23 goals last season.
This is the first-ever meeting between the Terps and the Black Knights. Maryland owns an 11-1-2 record all-time against Patriot League schools.
This season's opener is the earliest in the 23-year history of the Terrapin women's soccer program. Before this season, the earliest opener for the Terps was last season when the Terps topped George Mason 5-0 at Ludwig Field on Aug. 23.
