After last week’s 1-0 defeat against James Madison brought its loss total to three, Maryland women’s soccer enters Big Ten play searching for new life. 

But the Terps have a tall task ahead. They stay on the road to face No. 8 Penn State on Thursday night. That game kicks off at 7 p.m. and will stream on Big Ten Plus. 

After a perfect start through three games, which saw Maryland keep a trio of clean sheets, hope was in the air in College Park. The new regime under head coach Michael Marchiano showed promise.

However, the Terps have quickly come back down to earth in scorching fashion. Thursday’s narrow loss to James Madison showed that Maryland still has a long way to go offensively — only firing two shots and being held scoreless for a second time. 

On the other side, Penn State enters Thursday’s contest with a 3-0-1 home record thus far. The Terps aim to end the Nittany Lions’ momentum despite their 4-17 all-time record in the series. Maryland hopes to snap an 11-match skid against Penn State, dating all the way back to 2005. 

Along with its losing streak to the Nittany Lions, the Terps look to break another unfortunate trend — they have only one win and three total goals scored in Big Ten play since the start of 2023.

Maryland will have to lean on their leading goal scorer, Kelsey Smith, if it hopes to create threatening chances. Thus far in 2025, Smith has three goals and two assists for eight points.

Alyssa Abramson has been strong on the Terps’ defensive side, anchoring a unit that has kept the team in the game at times this season. She also has two assists to show for, which is tied for the team lead with Smith. 

Goalie Faith Luckey is another crucial piece for the Terps. Her 25-save season total will likely skyrocket against a relentless Penn State attack. That is led but will face a tough task in Penn State’s lead scorer, Aubrey Kulpa. 

Kulpa already has six goals and one assist in just seven games thus far this season. Last season, she found the back of the net in Penn State’s 5-0 win over Maryland. 

Penn State’s goalkeeper Mackenzie Gress has 18 saves this season and a .720 save percentage, allowing seven goals in her second season as the starter. She shut out the Terps last season, recording one save. 

Led by two-time National Coach of the Year Erica Dambach, Penn State has much to look forward to when facing the Terps.

In head coach Michael Marchiano’s first full season at Maryland, the Terps continue to develop a young roster and build an identity within the Big Ten. Thursday’s match provides an opportunity for the Terps to upset a top-10 opponent and make a statement as a program under Marchiano. 

The matchup will likely depend on Maryland’s ability to weather Penn State’s high-pressure attack and create quality scoring chances. 

If Smith and Abramson can connect early and Luckey holds strong between the posts, the Terps could put themselves in position for a breakthrough win on the road against the Nittany Lions.