Maryland women’s soccer did something on Sunday it hadn’t done since 2022 — win a second consecutive Big Ten match, defeating Purdue 2-1 on Sunday afternoon. 

It wasn’t so long ago that Maryland struggled to score a goal in 17 consecutive Big Ten matches. The Terps have come a long way to win back-to-back home games and score four goals in that stretch. 

Coming off a 2-1 win over Indiana on Thursday, head coach Michael Marchiano’s squad showed flashes of strong offensive production beyond just star forward Kelsey Smith. In the last game, Smith tallied two shots and a goal, while McKinley Heaven added steady offensive pressure, both proving key to Maryland’s attack. That trend would continue on Sunday. 

Carrying momentum into the first half against Purdue, the game opened with both teams keeping play compact on one side of the field, testing each other’s passing and technical movement.

Maryland created chances early, which was highlighted when Ava Morales sent a shot just over the crossbar 15 minutes in.

“We fell into a little bit of a slump towards the end of our non-conference play, but I think we know what our potential is,” Morales said. “That just gave us an extra boost, like we know we could do a lot better than what we were producing.” 

That confidence showed early, even as Purdue’s Taryn Raibon applied steady pressure and Terps goalkeeper Faith Luckey calmly handled a dangerous strike from Chiara Singarella.

Maryland broke through in the 29th minute when Morales powered a right-footed strike into the top-left corner to put the Terps ahead. Her energy and speed stood out throughout the half.  

But Purdue answered 10 minutes later with Irene Campo burying an equalizer off an assist from Emilia Deppe and Allyssa Turner, sending the match into halftime tied at one. 

Guided by head coach Richard Moodie’s tactical adjustments, the Boilermakers stayed aggressive on one side of the field and maintained their composure to close the half. 

Coming out of the break, both sides raised the intensity. Forward McKinley Heaven tested Purdue goalkeeper Emily Edwards with a close-range attempt, but the Boilermakers continued to dictate possession, outshooting Maryland.

Despite the pressure, the Terps struck again in the 64th minute. Heaven, assisted by midfielder Emily Lenhard, found the back of the net with a low right-footed finish, giving Maryland the 2-1 edge.

“She’s given us a real player to have a connection with above the ball, to allow us to get out,” Marchiano said. 

The final stretch was tense. Luckey came up clutch in the 68th minute, tipping a Purdue shot over the bar, then denied another dangerous look from Campo’s bicycle attempt late in the half. 

Both teams suffered key substitutions after a heavy collision between Heaven and Purdue’s Zoe Cuneio, but Maryland’s back line stayed organized.

Luckey finished with seven saves, cementing herself as a key factor in the win as Purdue pushed forward in the closing minutes. Despite the Boilermakers’ late surge, Maryland secured the 2-1 win.

“I think it’s great that we can continue through a Big Ten play, with that confidence and with that feeling, but it’s just about making sure that the girls leave it out there every single time we play,” Marchiano said. “We definitely can see the chances and the score line could reflect it.” 

With a fast-paced, eventful match, the Terps will look to continue their momentum on Thursday when they travel west to face USC at 10 p.m.