With both sides struggling to find offense, Maryland Head Coach Sasho Cirovski sent freshman Max Riley to warm up as the first half concluded in hopes of giving his team life on the attack.
Riley did just that only 11 minutes into the second half, collecting a pass inside the box from a streaking Joshua Bolma coming down the wing, slotting it past Ohio State goalkeeper Max Trejo to put the Terps up, 1-0.
No. 9 Maryland topped No. 13 Ohio State 1-0 in a defensive showdown.
Stefan Copetti subbed on in the 30th minute and immediately made an impact, putting the only premier chance of the first half for either side off the right post after a pass came in from freshman Colin Griffith.
After giving up three goals to Penn State on Tuesday in a 3-3 draw (the most they’ve given up all season), Maryland looked to settle down defensively and get back to dominating in their end.
Although the Terps did just that, holding Ohio State to just one shot on target through the first 45 minutes, they struggled themselves offensively; their only chance coming on Copetti’s shot off the post.
“It was a very hard fought defensive battle today,” said Cirvoski. “There wasn’t a lot of chances on both sides because there was quite a big midfield battle.”
Going into the dressing room, the two sides were deadlocked at zero in a defensive grudge match.
To open up the second half, the Buckeyes earned two set pieces within the first five minutes, misfiring on both to keep things level.
Ohio State’s missed opportunities came back to haunt them just minutes later, after Joshua Bolma found Max Riley inside the box in the 56th minute.
Bolma found the feet of Riley, who took his time and finished his first collegiate goal, putting Maryland up.
Following the goal, Maryland settled into a defensive mindset, with Ohio State trying to push the attack. The Buckeyes found themselves with multiple set-piece chances as the end of the game neared but couldn’t convert.
The Terps played the Ohio State freekicks and corners well, and Maryland’s back line had to play strong to finish out the game, with the only shot of the second half coming on the Riley putaway, earning their second Big Ten win of the season by a score of 1-0.
“I mean, good win over a good team,” said Riley. “We knew coming in it was going to be a tough match. We’ve not been as great at home as we wanted to be, but today was a good step in the right direction.”
The Terps kept the sheet clean for the first time all year in what looked like their best defensive showing of the season thus far.
“I feel like we put it all on the line and try to get a shutout and that’s very important going forward, especially in the Big Ten,” said Bolma. This win was really really big and really needed this to kind of propel us into the rest of the season.”
No. 9 Maryland looks to keep their unbeaten streak alive against Old Dominion on Friday at Ludwig Field.
