After dropping back-to-back road matches, Maryland women’s soccer returns home. The Terps will look to reset as they take on Indiana University in a key Big Ten matchup at Ludwig Field.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. on Thursday with a special “Disco After Dark” promotion.
The Terps are coming off a tough 4-0 loss to Penn State, a well-rounded squad with a history of dominance in the conference. Head coach Michael Marchiano acknowledged the challenge but emphasized the need for growth moving forward.
“We need to be aware, have the awareness to understand we need to improve,” Marchiano said midweek. “Our expectations need to get to a point where we’re just focused on putting on the best performance we possibly can.”
For Marchiano, success isn’t built around one rigid formation, but rather around effort, adaptability, and maximizing player strengths.
“I think there’s a blend of what we’re trying to do,” Marchiano said. “We’re trying to put our best performing players in positions to be successful, but respect the opponent. Right now, we need to be somewhat adaptable, and that means we might need to go between two or three different systems so we can have stability.”
With Maryland sitting at 4-4-0 on the season, key players like midfielder Kelsey Smith and goalkeeper Faith Luckey continue to maintain important roles in hopes of helping the Terps get back in the win column.
With an additional key player in last week’s matchup against Penn State, freshman Ellie Egeland sparked Maryland’s attack early with the Terps’ first shot in the 10th minute.
She kept pushing in the second half, firing again in the 68th and nearly breaking through just three minutes later when her attempt rattled off the crossbar.
Although Indiana goalkeeper Sally Rainey has made just five saves so far this season and has a .900 save percentage, she has a steady presence in net for the Hoosiers — the Terps will need consistent offensive plays ready to break through.
Head coach Josh Rife returned to his alma mater in February. With an overall career record of 52-40-23, Rife came to Indiana after spending six seasons at Ball State.
The Hoosiers have spread the wealth this season, with six different players finding the back of the net. Maggie Ledwith, Aleyna Quinn, Sarah Sirdah, Grace Hamm, and Abbey Iler each have two goals to their name, while Haden Vlcek has chipped in one. Ledwith leads the team with six points, showing her consistency on the attack.
Indiana’s offense has been balanced. Eighteen different players have taken shots for a total of 105 attempts. Ledwith leads the group with 19 shots, while Marisa Grzesiak and Kennedy Neighbors are behind her with 12 apiece.
The Hoosiers have also proven to be a second-half team, scoring eight of their 11 goals after the break, a sign they know how to finish strong.
Indiana enters Thursday’s contest at 3-2-2 overall and 0-0-1 in Big Ten play, coming off a physical draw against Illinois.
The Hoosiers have only two losses this season, adding some intensity to a matchup that already carries weight.
The last time the two teams met in 2023, Maryland fell 2-0.
As the Terps host the Hoosiers in their Big Ten home opener, you can listen live here at WMUC Sports.
