After finishing up its nonconference slate on Sunday, Maryland women’s soccer starts its Big Ten schedule with a tall task at hand.
No. 5 Michigan State travels to College Park Thursday to face the Terps. After failing to score a conference goal in 2023, the Terps will attempt to do so against one of the best teams in the Big Ten.
Maryland could do nothing to stop the Spartans last year when they beat the Terps, 5-0.
Thursday’s match at Ludwig Field will start at 7 p.m. and stream on Big Ten Plus.
No. 5 Michigan State Spartans (5-0-2, 0-0-0 Big Ten)
2023 record: 14-5-3 (7-1-2 Big Ten)
Michigan State heads into Big Ten play without a loss in 2024. The Spartans beat then-No. 15 Notre Dame and drew with then-No. 9 Arkansas and then-No. 15 Xavier. They’ve also stacked wins against Ohio, Ole Miss, Queens and Loyola Chicago. Michigan State heads into Thursday’s affair on a two-match winning streak.
The Spartans lost to Iowa in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals last season, and to BYU the third round of the NCAA tournament.
Players to watch
Meg Hughes, graduate student forward, No. 9 — Hughes is in her first season with Michigan State after transferring from Providence. She is tied for the team lead with four goals, while also adding two assists. She currently has 11 shots on goal and a 30.8% shooting percentage. Last season with Providence, she totaled eight goals and earned first-team All-Big East honors.
Emily Mathews, graduate student midfielder, No. 10 — Mathews, a Purdue transfer, is also in her first season with the Spartans and tied with Hughes as the team’s leading goal-scorer. In 2023, Mathews was a team captain for Purdue, scoring two goals and notching five assists.
Bella Najera, sophomore forward/midfielder, No. 23 — Najera has three goals and one assist in 2024. Last season, Najera led the Spartans with nine goals and was tied for second with six assists. That effort earned her Big Ten Freshman of the Year and earned a spot on the All-Big Ten second team.
Strength
Scoring. Michigan State has scored 17 goals so far in 2024 — tied for second in the Big Ten — while holding opponents to just five goals. Last season, the Spartans scored 2.3 goals per game and allowed one goal per game.
Weakness
Penalty kicks. The Spartans have been awarded three penalty kick attempts so far in 2024, but have only scored on one of those tries. Their opponents scored on the only penalty kick attempt they’ve allowed.
Three things to watch
1. Can the Terps score in Big Ten play? Maryland failed to score a single goal in conference play last season. After scoring four goals in their last match, the Terps will look to put one in the back of the net early on in conference play.
2. Can the Terps stop the Spartans? Maryland’s back line was strong during nonconference play. However, the jury is still out on if it can stay strong in the Big Ten. Maryland’s first test will be against lethal Michigan State offense.
3. How will Maryland show up for the blackout? Thursday night is Maryland’s blackout-themed game. The Terps will look to use confidence from this blackout to make a statement to start conference play.
