Maryland Women’s Soccer Battles No. 14 Wisconsin in 1-0 Loss
By Brian Hradsky
COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Maryland women’s soccer stayed within striking distance of No. 14 Wisconsin for the full 90 minutes Thursday night, but the Terrapins could not find the equalizer in a 1-0 Big Ten loss at Ludwig Field.
Wisconsin forward Taylor Gordon scored the match’s only goal in the 25th minute, while the Badgers’ defense held Maryland to seven shots and two shots on goal. Maryland fell to 3-6-1 overall and 0-4 in Big Ten play, while Wisconsin improved to 7-1-2 overall and 3-0-1 in conference action.
Wisconsin Breaks Through in First Half
Maryland entered the match facing a Wisconsin program it had never defeated and a Badgers team ranked No. 14 nationally. The Terps did not simply sit back defensively, however, as Peyton Bernard and McKinley Heaven each attempted shots during the opening 18 minutes. Wisconsin gradually established more possession in Maryland’s defensive third and generated four of the first six shots of the contest.
The breakthrough came at the 24:50 mark. Gordon, who had entered as a substitute less than two minutes earlier, found space and beat Maryland goalkeeper Faith Luckey with a right-footed finish to the upper portion of the net. The unassisted goal was Gordon’s second of the season and ultimately proved to be all Wisconsin needed.
Wisconsin continued applying pressure after taking the lead. KK Panella and Jane Rogers each put attempts on target, while Gordon remained dangerous after scoring. Maryland produced one of its better first-half opportunities late in the period when Ellie Egeland tested Wisconsin goalkeeper Drew Stover, but Stover made the save to preserve the Badgers’ advantage.
Maryland Defense Keeps Terps Alive
Despite Wisconsin controlling more of the attacking opportunities, Maryland’s defense prevented the Badgers from turning the match into a multi-goal affair. Wisconsin finished the first half with eight shots, but Luckey made three saves and allowed only Gordon’s goal. The Terps went into halftime trailing 1-0 with an opportunity to change the match with one finish.
Maryland made a goalkeeper change at halftime, bringing Meredith Fisher on for Luckey. Fisher helped keep Wisconsin off the scoreboard throughout the second half, continuing a strong overall performance from Maryland’s goalkeeping unit. Luckey and Fisher combined for four saves against five Wisconsin shots on goal.
The Terps also did a better job limiting Wisconsin after halftime. After allowing eight shots during the opening 45 minutes, Maryland surrendered only three in the second half. That defensive improvement kept the margin at one goal and gave Maryland an opportunity to push numbers forward looking for an equalizer.
Terps Search for Equalizer
Maryland nearly produced an immediate response after halftime. Ella Petry put a shot on target in the 49th minute, forcing Stover to make another save. The Terps generated four total shots in the second half after recording three in the opening period.
Maryland ultimately could not break down a Wisconsin defense that entered College Park playing some of its best soccer of the season. Stover stopped both Maryland shots on goal and completed the clean sheet. The shutout was Wisconsin’s fourth consecutive clean sheet, continuing an impressive defensive run for the nationally ranked Badgers.
Wisconsin finished with an 11-7 advantage in total shots and a 5-2 edge in shots on goal. The Badgers also held a 4-2 advantage in corner kicks, while Maryland committed six fouls compared with only three for Wisconsin. Ary Oliver received the match’s only yellow card late in the first half.
Maryland’s Offensive Struggles Continue
The loss continued a difficult opening stretch of Big Ten play for Maryland. The Terps entered the Wisconsin match after losses to Washington, Oregon and Penn State and were still looking for their first conference victory. Maryland had been shut out in all three of those matches, making Wisconsin the fourth consecutive Big Ten opponent to keep the Terps off the scoreboard.
That does not mean Maryland has been completely overmatched. The Terps lost 1-0 at Oregon before battling Wisconsin to another one-goal decision, and Luckey has given Maryland several strong performances in goal. Against Penn State, she recorded a season-high eight saves and stopped a penalty kick in the second half.
The issue has been converting enough opportunities at the other end. Against Wisconsin, Maryland generated seven shots but placed only two on target. Bernard and Egeland led the Terps with two shots apiece, while Petry and Egeland accounted for Maryland’s two shots on goal.
Wisconsin Continues Strong Season
Wisconsin’s victory extended its unbeaten streak to nine matches and kept the Badgers unbeaten through their first four Big Ten contests. Gordon led Wisconsin with three shots, including two on goal, despite playing only 44 minutes. Stover needed only two saves to record the shutout.
The victory also continued Wisconsin’s success in the series. Maryland entered Thursday having faced Wisconsin nine times since joining the Big Ten and was still searching for its first victory over the Badgers. Wisconsin had won the previous five meetings dating back to 2019 before adding another victory Thursday.
MSB Take
Maryland deserved credit for keeping this match competitive against one of the stronger teams on its schedule. The Terps allowed eight first-half shots but adjusted well enough to hold Wisconsin to three after halftime, and Luckey and Fisher combined to keep Maryland within one goal for the entire night.
The larger concern continues to be the offense. Maryland has shown that it can hang around defensively against quality Big Ten opponents, but scoring opportunities have been difficult to turn into goals since conference play began. Seven shots and two shots on goal were not enough against a Wisconsin defense playing at an extremely high level.
Maryland needs to find a way to turn these competitive performances into points in the Big Ten standings. The margin between a 1-0 loss and a draw can be one dangerous set piece, one rebound or one composed finish inside the penalty area. If the Terps can add that final piece while maintaining the defensive effort they showed against Wisconsin, they will give themselves a much better chance to break through in conference play.
