Maryland Women’s Soccer Ties Towson 1-1 in In-State Battle

Photo Courtesy of Allison Mize/Maryland Terrapins

TOWSON, MD – The Maryland women’s soccer team (2-2-3) played to a 1-1 draw against Towson (2-2-3) in a tightly contested in-state matchup at Tiger Field on Thursday night. Freshman defender Taryn Raibon scored for the second consecutive game, while former Terp Brooke Birrell netted the equalizer for Towson early in the second half.

The Terps struck first in the 21st minute when Raibon received a well-placed entry pass from sophomore defender Kennedy Bell and finished calmly inside the box. Raibon’s goal, her team-high tying second of the season, marked her second straight game with a score, which no Terp had accomplished since Ava Morales last season.

Senior goalkeeper Liz Beardsley wasn’t called upon much for the Terps, making both her saves in quick succession. First, Beardsley made a huge save on graduate student Demi Pierre’s shot heading for the top left of the net in the 32nd minute, before robbing Pierre of another goal in the 34th. 

Towson took this momentum into halftime and quickly responded. In the 47th minute, Birrell, who transferred from Maryland to Towson, found the back of the net to tie the game at 1-1 thanks to an assist from Pierre.

This goal was a turning point for Towson, who began urgently pushing Mayland’s defense. However, the Terp’s backline, anchored by seniors Katie Coyle and Halle Johnson, held firm, preventing further damage.

Maryland controlled much of the second half, outshooting Towson 11-8 and earning four corner kicks to Towson’s one, but couldn’t capitalize on their chances. Senior goalkeeper Liz Beardsley recorded two saves, adding to her Big Ten-leading total of 24 saves through seven games this season.

Despite the offensive pressure, Maryland struggled to break through Towson’s defense in the final third. The terps generated several promising chances, but the final touch eluded them.

The Terps nearly regained the lead in the 50th minute when forward Emily Lenhard’s shot sailed just over the crossbar, but both teams’ defenses held firm for the remainder of the match.

Maryland will look to build on this performance as they return home to Ludwig Field on September 8 for a matchup against VCU.