By Christopher Cox
In their last game before conference play begins, the Maryland Terrapins (5-3-0) finally found the offensive output they’ve been looking for as they crushed the Yale Bulldogs (3-3-0) 5-1 Sunday afternoon at Ludwig Field.
Sophomore forward Alex Anthony had another two-goal performance, bringing her season total to six goals, while senior midfielder Sarah Molina, redshirt junior forward Gabby Galanti and junior midfielder Hope Gouterman scored their first goals of the season.
Anthony accounted for 13 of Maryland’s 30 shots and six of the team’s 13 shots on goal.
The Terps had not scored five goals since October 3, 2012 when they beat Francis Marion 5-1 and had not taken 30 shots in a game since they pummeled The Citadel 9-0 in the 2013 season opener.
“[The players] have been working hard, we challenged them a lot,” head coach Jonathan Morgan said. “With Alex scoring goals, the concentration goes on her for opponents, so we need some contributions from some other players … and for things to kind of open up, and other kids to really be dangerous and give us some opportunities to score, was awesome. It’s exactly what we needed.”
Molina scored her goal inside the penalty box on an assist from Anthony in the 10th minute of play. Anthony, receiving the ball a few yards away from the goal off Sarah Fichtner’s throw in, spun away from the defender playing tight against her and passed to Molina, who sent the ball in the goal after it glanced off the right post.
Anthony’s first goal came in the 32nd minute after a deflection into the box couldn’t be corralled by Yale’s goalkeeper Rachel Ames. Anthony cleaned up the loose ball in front of the goal, notching her fourth game-winning goal in eight games.
Growing up, Anthony would play against guys her age, which she said helped develop her aggressive style of play. “They play quicker, they are strong and they’re fast … it forces you to make decisions quickly and it forces you to capitalize on any chance you get, so that’s really pushed me to do the same thing while playing with girls,” Anthony said.
After missing most of the 2013 season due to a torn ACL and playing limited minutes last season, Galanti has faced a tough start to her redshirt junior year, but finally broke through when she scored in the 34th minute.
After settling a throw in, Galanti quickly turned up field, made a move to create separation between her and the defender then lofted a shot toward the goal that snuck its way just under the crossbar and fell into the far right corner of the net.
“I noticed the keeper was way off of her line, so I kind of just chipped it over her and saw the far post open,” Galanti said.
Anthony’s second goal was assisted by senior defender Shannon Collins off a corner kick. As Collins’ ball was sent in to the near post, Ames came to catch it, but once again, could not control it, and Anthony just had to chip it over the helpless Yale goalie to tally her sixth goal of the season.
Gouterman dealt Maryland’s final blow to the Bulldogs in the 78th minute as she sent a screaming shot past Ames, who was able to get her hands on the ball but couldn’t get enough of it to keep it from crossing the line.
Maryland will face a challenging team for their next game, as they welcome the No. 15 Rutgers Scarlet Knights to Ludwig Field Friday at 7 p.m. Rutgers has not allowed a goal through their first seven games.
