COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Maryland women's soccer program is set to begin its 2018 campaign this week, led by third-year head coach Ray Leone. The team has been hard at work throughout the preseason preparing for the road ahead, with fresh faces and a solid core of experienced players ready for the challenges looming in the Big Ten.
Leone and the Terps will look to further improve upon their progress over the past two seasons, as Maryland jumped to a four-win improvement last year with a 7-8-3 overall record.
"We have had a great energy and togetherness this preseason," said Leone. "You can really feel that throughout the entire time we've been together. This is a very coachable group and they really want to get better. I want our group to demonstrate a consistent work ethic and fight to the last second of every single game. I'm asking our entire team to bring it, and I think this year we have that kind of competitive spirit."
Six newcomers join 21 returners on this year's roster, with the Terps set to kick off their season on August 16 vs. William & Mary at the JMU Invitational in Harrisonburg, Va. Below is a breakdown of each position group.
Offense
Senior Jarena Harmon and junior Darby Moore will be leaders at the top of the formation this year entering 2018 as two Maryland's most experienced players. Harmon, a Big Ten preseason honoree, has appeared in 35 career games for the Terps while notching nine goals and two assists. Moore returns as the third most-capped field player on the roster, starting in 23 of 34 career games, including 10 of 17 last season.
Leone has been excited to see sophomore Mikayla Dayes and redshirt freshman Alyssa Poarch back on the field after both were sidelined with injuries last year. Dayes will look to build off a promising start to her collegiate career last year where she recorded eight points in five games before going down with an injury. Poarch is primed to make her Maryland debut after sitting out the entire 2017 season recovering from injury. The Middeltown, Del. native was a USA U-18 National Team pool member and Second Team All-American as a senior at Middletown High School.
Midfield/Defense
Leone has several different options throughout his midfield formation, and has commonly interchanged defensive and offensive players into the group throughout his time at the helm for the Terps. Jlon Flippens, Hope Lewandoski, Anissa Mose, Julia New and Sydney Staier are all back for the Terps – with all five earning at least 13 starts between the midfield and defensive units last season. Senior Jenna Surdick will help anchor Maryland's backline again in 2018, a year removed from appearing in 14 games.
Returning for her redshirt senior season with the Terrapins is goalkeeper Rachel Egyed, who garnered Third Team all-Big Ten honor last season. Egyed notched 71 saves while holding a goals against average of 1.36 in 2017. She started in 17 of 18 games for the Terps in the cage, notching five shutouts while helping the Terps to a four-win improvement. The Clifton, N.J. native starred in Big Ten play, saving penalty kicks against Nebraska and Purdue while making numerous one-on-one stops during conference matches.
Leone will have two other solid options to organize the defense as well in junior Erin Seppi and redshirt sophomore Andi Wenck. Seppi made one start while playing in three games for the Terps last season, while Wenck will be in the mix to make her collegiate debut in 2018.
Newcomers
Head coach Ray Leone added six freshmen to the program this season, featuring players from five different states: Maryland, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas. Emily McNesby, Loren Sefcik, Taylor Whitmer, Madison Oracion, Adalee Broadbent and Katie Krotee will all look to make their Terrapin debuts in their first season in College Park.
"They've done a really good job," said Leone. "Their conditioning coming in was very good, and that's the first thing you have to take care of when you come in as a freshman. They're ready to compete."
Schedule
Maryland will play nine home matches at Ludwig Field during its 2018 campaign; three in non-conference play and six Big Ten contests.
The Terps open the season at the James Madison Invitational. After facing William & Mary in the season opener on Thursday, Aug. 16, the Terps face off with the host James Madison (Aug. 19).
Maryland opens its home schedule on Aug. 24 against Appalachian State before making the short trip to Annapolis to face Navy that Sunday. The Terps travel to Philadelphia for a pair of matches against Temple (Aug 31) and Drexel (Sept. 2).
The Terps open up a five-match homestand against UCF on Sept. 6 before taking on George Washington (Sept. 9). Maryland opens its Big Ten slate with a home match against Iowa on Sept. 14 before hosting Nebraska on Sept. 16. The Terps will close that home stretch against Rutgers on Sept. 23.
Maryland hits the road for consecutive matches against Minnesota (Sept. 27) and Wisconsin (Sept. 30) before returning home for back-to-back games against Illinois (Oct. 4) and Northwestern (Oct. 7).
The Terps close the season with three of four matches on the road. A match at Penn State kicks off the three-game road swing on Oct. 12 before the Terps face Ohio State in Columbus (Oct. 14). Maryland will take on Michigan in its final road match on Oct. 18.
Maryland closes the season against Indiana at Ludwig Field on Oct. 21.
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