BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Sophomore Alex Anthony tallied her ninth goal of the season as the Maryland women's soccer team played to a 1-1 draw with Indiana at Armstrong Stadium Thursday night.
Anthony led the Terrapins (5-9-1) with eight shots in a physical affair the saw Indiana register 26 fouls. Maryland dominated the back half of the match, including overtime, but was unable to find a winner.
“Never satisfied with grabbing a tie, but we look at getting a point as a positive,” head coach Jonathan Morgan said. “There was a step taken in the right direction tonight and we'll build off the positives. We had some terrific individual performances along with some great contributions off the bench. Excited to come home to Ludwig for our next three matches.”
Junior Natasha Ntone-Kouo had early success running at the Indiana defense from her right wing position and registered a shot in the second minute that was saved. Madison Turner has similar early success on the left side, making a couple of solid forays forward.
The first attempt from Anthony came in the eighth minute when her shot was blocked at the top of the box. Senior Shannon Collins' free kick from the right channel found the head of Anthony, but the sophomore shot drifted wide. The Littleton, Colo., native drew a save off a 30-yard free kick in the 15th minutes.
Collins sparked the attack with 27 minutes left in the half with a beautiful through ball that curved into the path of Gabby Galanti before a Hoosier defender cleared the danger. Anthony took aim again in the 23rd minute, fizzing a free kick just beyond the left post.
Indiana found its goal in the 26th minute. Annelie Leitner finished a penalty kick past senior keeper Rachelle Beanlands to make the score 1-0.
Maryland responded with a spot kick of its own in the 44th minute. Maisie McCune started the sequence with a ball into Anthony just inside the box. Anthony turned and was brought down to draw the referee's whistle. The sophomore slotted the penalty lick into the left corner for her ninth goal of the season.
The early part of the second half was a back-and-forth affair that saw a Collins' corner produce some danger for the Hoosiers' defense with 32 minutes left. In the 68th minute, Sarah Fichtner sent in a cross that found Anthony's feet, but her shot from 10 yards was blocked.
Fichtner found a shot of her own off a Collins cross that popped out of the box. The senior was unable to keep her 25-yard volley down.
Maryland pressed hard for the final 10 minutes, dominating the run of play. Kate Waters' long range attempt with under two minutes to play flashed wide of the right post.
Anthony's blocked shot in the 96th minute was the only attempt of the first overtime period. The Terps continued to overwhelm the Hoosiers in the second extra stanza with Anthony and Galanti all over field in attack. Indiana was able to repel the Terps' attacks and the game ended knotted at 1-1.
Beanlands made four saves on the night and was solid through all 110 minutes.
Maryland returns home for a Sunday afternoon contest against Purdue at Ludwig Field. Action is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
-Terps-
