By Henry Quach

It was a defensive game late in the second half, the scoreboard reading 0-0 in Annapolis. 

As both teams were looking for a breakthrough, sophomore forward Kelsey Smith dribbled through Navy defenders and secured the go-ahead goal in the 74th minute past the hands of Navy goalkeeper Natasha Stramrood. 

“When I went in, I knew that it was still 0-0, and there was a good opportunity for me to take it, and i’m glad it went in.” said Smith 

The late game goal propelled the Terps to a crucial win on Thursday night over Navy, 1-0. The win ends a four game winless streak to Navy and is head coach Meghan Ryan Nemzer’s first win against Navy.

Despite a low-scoring affair, plenty of offensive opportunities emerged for both teams. Maryland finished the game with seven shots (two on goal) to Navy’s 12 shots (two on goal). It was a clean game as there were only 17 fouls shared by both teams. 

Both teams’ backlines put forth an excellent effort, but as for the goalkeepers, Maryland’s Liz Beardsley notched two saves, while Navy’s Stramrood notched one save. 

“We spoke about before the game that we needed to come together and be united,” Nemzer said. “So we came in halftime, we made some adjustments, and I was really proud with not only the players that came in, but also the game changes that really stuck to the game plan.”

The Terps will hope to build upon this newfound momentum, as they continue the road trip down the beltway to Fairfax, Virginia, to take on George Mason on Sunday.