March 12, 2011

DOWNINGTOWN, Pa. - The University of Maryland women's soccer team opened its spring season Saturday afternoon in Downingtown, Pa, against the Philadelphia Independence, last year's WPS runner-up.

With the game tied 0-0 midway through the second half, rising junior Olivia Wagner picked off an errant pass from an Independence defender, and then proceeded to take one touch and rifle a 35-yard bullet into the top corner.

It appeared as though the Terps were going to come away with a victory, until striker Lauren del Rio turned with a ball at the top of the Maryland box and cleverly bent a shot around several defenders and into the corner of the Terrapin net with just three minutes remaining.

Rising senior Yewande Balogun made seven saves on the day, the best of which came when she thwarted Tasha Kai's breakaway opportunity. In addition to Balogun's saves, she did well controlling her box with a number of snagged crosses and corner kicks.

The Terps are off until after spring break, when they host Georgetown at home on April 1 at 7 p.m.