No. 6 Maryland Men’s Soccer Falls to No. 2 Indiana, 3-1, in Top-10 Battle
No. 6 Maryland men’s soccer suffered its second loss of the season Friday night, falling 3-1 to unbeaten No. 2 Indiana at Bill Armstrong Stadium in Bloomington. The Hoosiers took control with two goals in the opening 20 minutes and eventually built a 3-0 advantage before Rodrigo Neri scored Maryland’s lone goal in the second half. Maryland dropped to 6-2-1 overall and 1-2-1 in Big Ten play, while Indiana improved to 9-0-2 and 4-0-1 in the conference.
The matchup represented another major early-season test for a Maryland team that has already faced one of the country’s toughest schedules. It was the Terrapins’ fourth top-10 matchup of the season, and Maryland entered the night 3-0 in its previous three. The Terps had already established themselves as one of the country’s top teams, but an explosive Indiana start proved too much to overcome.
Indiana Strikes Twice Early
Maryland generated its first shot on goal in the 12th minute when Kenny Quist-Therson tested the Indiana defense, but the Hoosiers soon took control. Indiana broke through in the 17th minute and doubled its advantage just three minutes later, putting Maryland into an early 2-0 hole. The rapid sequence changed the complexion of the match and allowed Indiana to dictate play with a multi-goal advantage.
Laurin Mack helped prevent the deficit from becoming even larger, making his first save in the 28th minute. Maryland continued looking for a way back into the match as Rocket Ritarita put a shot on goal in the 34th minute before Marco Wright tested Indiana goalkeeper Michal Mroz shortly before halftime. Neither attempt produced the breakthrough Maryland needed, leaving the Terps down 2-0 at the break.
The first half was particularly surprising considering Maryland’s success against elite competition this season. The Terrapins had defeated three top-10 opponents before Friday, the most such victories of any program in the country. Indiana, however, demonstrated why it entered the matchup undefeated and ranked No. 2 nationally.
Former Terp Helps Indiana Extend Lead
Maryland attempted to regroup after halftime, and Mack made another save in the 56th minute to keep the Terps within two. Indiana eventually found its third goal in the 63rd minute, when former Maryland forward Stephane Njike scored against his old team. Njike transferred to Indiana after playing for the Terrapins, adding another storyline to one of college soccer’s premier rivalries.
The goal put Maryland in a difficult 3-0 hole with less than 30 minutes remaining. Indiana had already established control during its dominant opening half, and the third goal meant Maryland needed a dramatic comeback against a team that had yet to lose this season.
The Terps did not quit. Maryland began creating more opportunities as the second half progressed and eventually found the goal it had been searching for.
Neri Continues Strong Season
Neri put Maryland on the board in the 71st minute, scoring his team-leading fifth goal of the season. Henry Bernstein and Ritarita received assists on the play, cutting Indiana’s advantage to 3-1 and giving Maryland some hope with nearly 20 minutes remaining.
The freshman has quickly developed into one of Maryland’s most dangerous attacking options. Neri led the Terps with five shots Friday, including two on goal, while Ritarita finished with two shots and an assist. Maryland also received another shot on goal from Dennis Kalanzi in the 75th minute as the Terps continued pushing forward.
Maryland received a major opportunity to make things interesting when the Terps were awarded a penalty kick in the 87th minute. Indiana stopped the attempt, eliminating Maryland’s final realistic opportunity to make a late comeback. The Hoosiers closed out the remaining minutes to secure the 3-1 victory.
Terps Generate Chances Despite Loss
The final statistics were much closer than Indiana’s early dominance might suggest. The Hoosiers finished with a 15-12 advantage in total shots and a 7-6 edge in shots on goal, while Maryland actually held a 7-5 advantage in corner kicks. Mack made four saves for the Terrapins, with Indiana also recording four saves.
Maryland committed nine fouls compared with six for Indiana. The Terps were ultimately hurt more by Indiana’s ability to capitalize on its opportunities, particularly during the opening 20 minutes, than by an inability to generate chances of their own. Maryland had six shots on target and a late penalty kick but managed only Neri’s goal.
The defeat also ended Maryland’s perfect record against top-10 opponents this season. The Terps are now 3-1 in those matches, an impressive mark considering the quality of competition they have already faced. Friday also marked the 23rd all-time meeting between two of the country’s most accomplished men’s soccer programs.
Big Ten Race Gets Tougher
The loss carries additional significance because Maryland has struggled to turn its early national success into Big Ten victories. The Terps are now 1-2-1 through their first four conference matches, while Indiana improved to 4-0-1 and remained unbeaten overall. The Hoosiers had collected 13 of a possible 15 conference points following Friday’s victory.
Maryland entered 2026 coming off a Big Ten championship season and began the new campaign in impressive fashion. The Terps opened with five consecutive victories, including a 2-1 road win over Pittsburgh and a dramatic 3-2 victory over then-No. 5 Georgetown at Ludwig Field.
Conference play has provided a much different challenge. Maryland now needs to start collecting points consistently if it hopes to remain in contention near the top of the Big Ten standings.
Maryland Heads to Rutgers
The Terrapins will have an opportunity to respond quickly as their road trip continues Tuesday against Rutgers. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. in Piscataway, New Jersey, with the match nationally televised on Big Ten Network.
Rutgers is coming off an impressive 4-0 victory over Northwestern, making the next matchup another difficult conference test. The Scarlet Knights scored three times within the opening nine minutes of that victory, so another slow start could prove costly for Maryland.
MSB Take
Maryland’s 3-1 loss is disappointing, but there is no reason for the Terps to panic after losing on the road to the No. 2 team in the country. Indiana is unbeaten for a reason, and the Hoosiers showed it during an excellent opening 20 minutes. Maryland’s biggest problem was allowing the match to get away so quickly.
There were still positives. The Terps produced 12 shots, put six on goal, earned seven corners and continued attacking after falling behind 3-0. Neri scoring his fifth goal is another encouraging sign for a freshman who is becoming increasingly important to Maryland’s offense.
What cannot become a trend is Maryland falling behind early in conference matches. The Terps have already proven they can beat nationally ranked opponents, but their 1-2-1 Big Ten record now matters more than their impressive collection of marquee victories. Tuesday’s match against Rutgers is an important opportunity to respond and get Maryland moving in the right direction again.
