Maryland women’s soccer shutout by No. 19 Indiana, 2-0, in season finale

Anna Bennett played a brilliant through ball in the 17th minute to a darting Paige Webber, who calmly rolled her shot into the net to put the Hooisers up 1-0. The score marked the sixth goal that the Terps have allowed within the first 20 minutes in their last four games.  

Maryland women’s soccer went on to lose to No. 19 Indiana, 2-0, in its season finale on Senior Day. The Hoosiers (12-2-4, 6-2-2 Big Ten) dominated the match with 17 shot attempts and seven targets on goal. The Terps (3-10-5, 0-9-1 Big Ten) recorded just five shots and one shot on goal.

Maryland was finally back to full strength with Halle Johnson back from injury and Katie Coyle returning from her one-match suspension. But their return couldn’t help the Terps’ offense. They finished the season with zero goals in conference play and on a 10-game goal drought, the longest in program history. 

“I know the results weren’t there,” coach Meghan Ryan Nemzer said. “But if you watched us from last year to this year, I thought there was a progression.” 

Maryland started the match positively — a good sight to see against a ranked opponent — and was able to create some opportunities in the final third.

The return of Johnson and Coyle to the backline allowed the Terps to play freshman sensation Kennedy Bell higher up the pitch as a winger. Bell used her speed to make runs down the right hand side, causing problems for the Indiana defense.

“Every time I talk to another coach, they think Kennedy’s the best outside back in the Big Ten right now and she’s only a freshman,” coach Nemzer said. “I’m excited to work with her a little bit more individually this offseason.” 

But Maryland’s early positive signs offensively started to fade as the Hoosiers dominated possession over the majority of the first half. The Terps finally started to show signs of life again offensively at the end of the half, but that failed to amass a goal. Maryland recorded just three shot attempts — one on target — over the first 45 minutes.

Indiana grew slowly into the match and started to impose its will on the offensive end as the first half progressed, breaking through with the Webber goal. 

Indiana continued to apply pressure after the goal as the majority of play became concentrated in Maryland’s defense end. Webber got a great look at goal on a free header in the 28th minute but Liz Beardsley made a terrific save to deny her a second goal.

Beardsley, the Terps most consistent player this season, delivered another solid performance, finishing with four saves. 

The Hoosiers attempted 10 shots in the first half, with five on goal. Webber led the squad with three shots in a strong showing for the graduate student. 

Indiana came out strong again in the second half. Bennett’s powerful shot in the 48th minute barely missed the target, striking the post. Then defensive mistakes allowed Webber to streak past the Terps’ defense in the 58th minute, but an uncharacteristic miss bounced wide as Maryland still only trailed by one.

The Hoosiers kept the pressure on as the Terps struggled to clear the ball from their defensive end. Indiana doubled its lead in the 67th minute with a Lauren Costello score off a free kick taken by Bennett, her second assist of the match. 

Maryland struggled on both ends of the field in the match. The result was its eighth straight loss to close out its season.

“I think what’s so special about this group is that there’s only seven of us seniors, which leaves 26 people coming back next year,” back-up goalkeeper Krista Varrichione said. “Every single one of them work so hard every single day. Next year, I think that they’re going to be in a great place and they’re going to come back stronger than ever.”