COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Despite controlling possession for large portions of the contest, the Maryland women's soccer team fell, 1-0, to No. 15 Rutgers at Ludwig Field Friday night.
The Terrapins (5-4-0, 0-1-0 Big Ten) switched off early in the game on Rutgers' tally before taking it to the Scarlet Knights for the remainder of the match. Freshman Cassie Phillips led the Terps' in shots with two and the home side held a 6-0 advantage in corner kicks.
“Our soccer was fantastic,” head coach Jonathan Morgan said. “We moved the ball extremely well and defended well after the goal. It's a good performance. It's always hard to chase so early, but the kids were competitive and resilient. We just couldn't get that goal to knot it up.”
Rutgers took advantage of an early Maryland mistake to take the lead. Madison Tiernan won the ball in midfield before playing a pass to Colby Ciarrocca. The sophomore laid the ball to Samantha Valliant, who finished a curling effort that just beat senior goalkeeper Rachelle Beanlands.
After a back-and-forth next 10 minutes, Maryland controlled the back half of the period. Sophomore Alex Anthony made a nice foray into the box, but her right-footed cross was blocked away in the 18th minute.
The Terps made a beautiful back-to-front flowing move, spearheaded by senior Riley Barger, in the 33rd minute that ended in a Natasha Ntone-Kouo cross that was blocked out for a corner.
Junior Lisa Bianchini had the Terps' best chance of the half. The Beltsville, Md., native received the ball just outside the box and ripped an 18-yard effort that Rutgers' keeper Casey Murphy tipped over the bar.
The second half saw Maryland control most of proceedings. In the 60th minute, Phillips created a shot out of nothing at the top of the box, but Murphy was able to control it.
Anthony was involved in the Terps' best opportunity of the half. Barger sent in a free kick from the left channel that bounced around in the box before Anthony controlled. The sophomore was able to turn towards goal, but got under her left-footed effort and put it just over the crossbar.
Maryland continued to push numbers forward as time wound down. Phillips took aim from almost exact same spot as her first shot, but pushed it wide. Barger also had an opportunity in the 77th minute, but her take went wide. Midfield starters Barger, Phillips and senior Sarah Molina, along with substitute senior Maisie McCune, held Rutgers' talented midfield in check for most of the half, but the Terps were unable to find a tally to tie the match.
After the opening goal, Beanlands was relatively untroubled thanks to the work of Shannon Collins, Kayla Shea, Amanda Gerlitz and Sarah Fichtner in the back. Beanlands made the 66th start of her career, tying her with Cailin Mullins (1990-93) for the most starts by a goalkeeper in Maryland history.
The Terrapins return to action next Thursday on that road at Northwestern. Action is scheduled to being at 7 p.m. from Evanston, Ill.
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