COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The University of Maryland women's soccer team turned in one of its best performances of the season and came back from an early deficit, but had to settle for a 1-1 tie against Illinois Sunday afternoon at Ludwig Field.
The draw is the fourth straight for the Terps and gives them a 5-4-6 record for the season and a 3-2-5 mark in Big Ten play. The Illini are now 9-4-1 overall and 4-3-1 in the conference.
Maryland dominated possession and the run of play and finished with a 28-16 advantage in shots, a 10-5 lead in shots on goal and a 12-5 edge in corner kicks.
“I know that I'm going to sound like a broken record but our kids put together a great performance today,” said Maryland head coach Jonathan Morgan. “We defended incredibly as a team, we possessed, and we attacked. The goals eluded us again but I know it's just a matter of time before the scoring opens up.
“We had outstanding games from multiple players and they deserve recognition but I have to acknowledge the performance of Sarah Fichtner. She was the best player on the pitch and she is what got our attack going today. Her ability to turn in midfield and break the opponent's midfield pressure was special.
“It was great to have Alex Anthony back on the field. I think her presence really gave our team a lift. The quality of her finish was exceptional.
“Overall, I feel for our kids because the effort and soccer has been so good. However, at the end of the day you have to find a way to get the result and we haven't done so in a while. We need to pick up some points on the road next weekend.”
The Terrapins got things off on the right foot in the seventh minute when senior Cory Ryan took the ball deep into the right corner and delivered a beautiful cross toward the back post. Sophomore Natasha Ntone-Kouo made a leaping effort trying to get on the end of it, but Ryan's service was just a bit too high to connect.
A misjudgment by Maryland keeper Rachelle Beanlands cost the Terps in the 20th minute. Beanlands picked up a ball just outside the six-yard box that she believed went off of an Illini player, but the referee ruled it was sent back by the foot of a Terrapin defender and Illinois was awarded an indirect free kick from 10 yards out. Nicole Breece touched it to Janelle Flaws and the Big Ten's leading scorer found an opening in the Maryland wall, which was packed across the goal mouth, to give the Illini a 1-0 lead.
The Terrapins had their own golden opportunity in the 37th minute when redshirt sophomore Gabby Galanti was taken down inside the 18 by an Illini defender. Galanti stepped up to take the penalty kick, but her drive was stopped by Illinois keeper Claire Wheatley.
Maryland completely dominated the run of play in the second half, creating quality chance after quality chance.
Junior Sarah Fichtner got things started in the 65th minute with a good run through the Illinois defense down the left flank. She tried to get a better angle on the goal with a small touch, but couldn't quite get turned enough and her shot went wide of the upper right 90.
The equalizer came in the 70th minute when redshirt freshman Alex Anthony, who missed the previous 10 matches due to injury, finished a brilliant give-and-go with junior Maise McCune past Wheatley into the left-side netting to knot the match at 1-1.
But, while Maryland would go on to create opportunities, that's where its luck would end.
Anthony played a brilliant pass into senior Shade Pratt in the 73rd minute and Pratt's effort had Wheatley beaten, but the ball just slide past the left post.
In the 75th minute the Terrapin pressure was building and Fichtner had the ball on her foot moving forward with Anthony and Pratt threatening from the flanks, which prevented the Illini defense from collapsing. That gave Fichtner a good look at the Illinois net and she sent a well-struck ball toward the right corner, but Wheatley made an incredible diving save to prevent the Terps from taking their first lead.
Maryland continued to threaten in the 85th minute when junior Shannon Collins lofted a ball down the left side for junior Aubrey Baker, who sent a low drive across the face of the goal. Ntone-Kouo got inside of her defender and made a sliding effort on the ball, but her shot just went over the crossbar.
As the second half clock ran down Baker was on the receiving end of a quality cross from McCune on the left side. After taking one touch to get past a defender, Baker laced a shot toward the near upper corner. Wheatley was only able to get a small piece of Baker's shot, but that proved to be enough to tip it off of the left corner post and away from danger.
Maryland's unluckiness continued into the second overtime period. Pratt laid in a beautifully weighted ball for Ntone-Kouo to run onto inside the Illinois 18. Ntone-Kouo got off a solid strike that was from nearly the same similar spot that Anthony scored her goal from, but this time the ball didn't find the inside netting and slipped past the left post.
The final opportunity came in the 110th minute when Fichtner got past three defenders into the penalty area. Before she could take the 1v1 shot on Wheatley she was taken down from behind, setting up the Terps' second penalty kick of the match. Fichtner took the ball to the spot, but once again Wheatley rose to the occasion and made the game-saving save for the Illini.
Wheatley's tip over the bar set up one last corner for the Terps and Pratt managed to get on the end of it with just six seconds left on the clock, but Wheatley was well-positioned to make her ninth stop of the afternoon.
Beanlands was never seriously threatened during the match and finished with four stops, all coming on trys from distance as the Maryland defense did a tremendous job of bottling up one of the Big Ten's most formidable offenses.
Maryland plays its final three matches of the season on the road, beginning with a two-match road trip at Minnesota and Wisconsin next weekend. The Terps play the Golden Gophers at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, Oct. 24, before taking on the Badgers on Sunday, Oct. 26 at 2 p.m. ET. Both matches will be streamed on BTN Plus.
