Maryland women’s soccer went into the 2024 season with one goal in mind: improvement. The team endured a gut-wrenching three-win season the year prior, in which the Terps went scoreless over their final 10 matches.
But, with the Terps finished their nonconference slate, they find themselves in the same spot. They enter a daunting Big Ten slate with a 3-2-3 record. Last year, this is where things fell apart, but Maryland aims to change that narrative and strive for progress.
Kennedy Bell admitted that nonconference play could have gone better. But she said the team will attempt to right the ship before conference play.
“It’s been not the season that we thought we would have at first,” Bell said.
Comparing this season’s nonconference schedule to last season’s, the Terps played the same opponents with the exception of two. The common opponents Maryland played in both 2023 and 2024 were American, James Madison, Navy, Towson, George Mason and VCU.
All but James Madison, which it drew, inspired different results this season. The Terps beat Navy and VCU this year, but lost to American and George Mason and drew Towson on the contrary this year.
The Terps were 2-2-2 against these opponents this season, but 2-0-4 last year.
Despite it seeming like Maryland fared better during nonconference play in 2023, its goals scored tell a different story. The Terps scored a total of 13 goals in nonconference play, four more than they did at this point last year.
However, Maryland also allowed more goals this season, hence the worse record. It allowed nine goals during nonconference play this season, three more than last season.
“Knowing that we’re done with nonconference, and it ended on a really good note (a 4-0 win over VCU),” defender Katie Coyle said. “Everyone’s like, excited and very supportive and feeling like a team that will carry through to the first game on Thursday.”
Liz Beardsley has performed well in nonconference play, despite giving up three more goals. Beardsley has three shutouts this season, all three coming in the matches Maryland has won. In eight games, Beardsley has made 31 saves for a 77.5% save percentage.
She only had to make 17 saves in 2023’s nonconference slate, and posted five shutouts in the eight matches.
Conference play was much tougher on Beardsley in 2023. She gave up 34 goals, making 67 saves for a 66.3% save percentage.
The fact that Beardsley faced more action this season may be due to Maryland’s differences on defense. Maryland’s defense has been strong at times this season, but the Terps have experienced some defensive lapses.
Big Ten conference play
Over the last four seasons, Maryland women’s soccer hasn’t had a winning record in conference play. Since 2020, the Terps have only won three Big Ten matches. All three of those wins came in 2022, Nemzer’s first season in College Park.
Maryland was 0-9-1 and outscore 28-0 in Big Ten play last year. The lone tie was a 0-0 draw with Purdue.
Last season, the Terps faced four ranked conference opponents, in then-No. 6 Penn State, then-No. 22 Michigan, then-No. 21 Wisconsin and then-No. 19 Indiana, which was the Terps’ final match of 2023.
The Big Ten added four new programs — USC, UCLA, Washington and Oregon — to the fold this year, with the Terps taking on Oregon and Washington this season.
“The Big Ten was already the best conference in college soccer, but I think that now women’s college soccer in the Big Ten is even better,” midfielder Lauren Wrigley said. “An opportunity to play two of those teams this year is going to be huge for us.”
Four teams in the Big Ten are currently ranked. Maryland will face three of them — No. 5 Michigan State, No. 12 Penn State and No. 20 Ohio State — in its 2024 conference schedule.
“If you look at the Big Ten, there’s always different types of styles,” head coach Meghan Ryan Nemzer said. “But it’s one game at a time for us.”
Maryland’s Big Ten Schedule
Thursday, September 12 | No. 5 Michigan State at Maryland
Michigan State Spartans (5-0-2) | 2023 record: 14-5-3, 7-1-2 Big Ten
Last match: 5-0 Michigan State on Sept. 28, 2023, in East Lansing, Mich.
Maryland’s all-time record: 2-4-3, Michigan State won the last three matches.
Thursday, Sept. 19 | Washington at Maryland
Washington Huskies (3-1-2) | 2023 record: 9-5-5, 4-4-3 Pac-12
Last match: 1-0 Washington on Nov. 20, 2004, in Seattle, Wash.
Maryland’s all-time record: 0-2
Sunday, Sept. 22 | Oregon at Maryland
Oregon Ducks (4-3-0) | 2023 record: 0-16-3, 0-10-1 Pac-12
This is the first ever match between Maryland and Oregon.
Thursday, Sept. 26 | Maryland at Northwestern
Northwestern Wildcats (5-2-0) | 2023 record: 9-5-4, 3-5-2 Big Ten
Last match: 1-1 draw on Sept. 26, 2021, in College Park, Md.
Maryland’s all-time record: 1-4-2
Sunday, Sept. 29 | Maryland at Illinois
Illinois Fighting Illini (4-2-1) | 2023 record: 6-8-3, 2-6-2 Big Ten
Last match: 3-2 Illinois on Sept. 22, 2022, in College Park, Md.
Maryland’s all-time record: 3-4-1, Illinois won the last two matches.
Friday, Oct. 4 | Maryland at No. 16 Ohio State
Ohio State Buckeyes (4-1-1) | 2023 record: 9-8-2, 5-4-1 Big Ten
Last match: 1-0 Ohio State on Sept. 24, 2023, in College Park, Md.
Maryland’s all-time record: 0-10-2, Ohio State won the last six matches.
Thursday, Oct. 10 | No. 8 Penn State at Maryland
Penn State Nittany Lions (5-1-1) | 2023 record: 16-3-4, 6-1-3 Big Ten
Last match: 4-0 Penn State on Sept. 15, 2023, in University Park, Penn.
Maryland’s all-time record: 5-16, Penn State won the last seven matches.
Sunday, Oct. 13 | Nebraska at Maryland
Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-3-0) | 2023 record: 17-4-3, 7-1-2 Big Ten
Last match: 3-0 Nebraska on Oct. 12, 2023, in Lincoln, Neb.
Maryland’s all-time record: 0-6-1, Nebraska won the last matchup.
Thursday, Oct. 17 | Maryland at Minnesota
Minnesota Golden Gophers (5-0-1) | 2023 record: 7-6-4, 3-5-2 Big Ten
Last match: 2-1 Minnesota on October 16, 2022, in College Park, Md.
Maryland’s all-time record: 2-6, Minnesota won the last two matches.
Sunday, Oct. 20 | Maryland at Wisconsin
Wisconsin Badgers (4-1-1) | 2023 record: 14-5-4, 7-2-1 Big Ten
Last match: 3-0 Wisconsin on Oct. 19, 2023, in College Park, Md.
Maryland’s all-time record: 0-6-2, Wisconsin won the last four matches.
Sunday, Oct. 27 | Maryland at Rutgers
Rutgers Scarlett Knights (4-1-1) | 2023 record: 9-7-4, 5-4-1 Big Ten
Last match: 1-0 Rutgers on Oct. 7, 2023, in College Park, Md.
Maryland’s all-time record: 7-8-2, Rutgers won the last three matches.
