The Terps (6-11-1) tied Rutgers, 0-0, at Ludwig Field in their season finale. In a matchup between two of the worst teams in the Big Ten, both ended their season in unspectacular fashion.

With no potential of a postseason appearance for either team, the game had a lethargic feel to it throughout. The tie was Maryland’s first of the season, as it entered Sunday as the only team in the Big Ten without one.

Unfortunately for the Terps, they’ve played in this type of finale plenty of times. Maryland’s postseason hopes have often been diminished before the season finale, as it hasn’t made the Big Ten tournament since 2019.

Meanwhile, the Scarlet Knights advanced all the way to the tournament’s championship game last year, losing to UCLA. But Rutgers has regressed this season, winning just one of its past seven games.

[Maryland women’s soccer improved in 2025, but is still far from a threat in the Big Ten]

The Scarlet Knights did win their last game against Michigan, scoring three goals in that contest. They looked to continue that offensive production against Maryland, and controlled possession for most of the first half.

Rutgers spent most of the first half near Maryland’s goal. The last time the Terps have ever outshot their opponent by the end of a half was on Sept. 18 against Indiana.

But Maryland’s defense held stout against the Scarlet Knights attack. It is the fourth time the Terps have kept their opponent scoreless in conference play, and the first time they’ve done so in conference play.

Coach Michael Marchinao was proud of his team’s effort, particularly in the second half.

“They really got it right with the way they represented themselves in this program in the second half,” Marchiano said. “I’m really pleased that we’re able to end the season genuinely leaving everything out there.”

“A lot of hard work goes into every season, and we definitely are ready to look forward and move forward and try to keep building.”

[Maryland women’s soccer’s Faith Luckey is enjoying a breakout season after injuries]

Isolated breakaways from forward Kelsey Smith and long shots from forward/midfielder Lisa McIntyre were Maryland’s closest chances to scoring, but the team’s offense rarely threatened Rutgers defense.

The lack of offense could also be attributed to the staggering amount of injuries. McIntyre, defender Taryn Raibon and defender Sam Winer all exited Sunday’s game with an injury.

After winning back-to-back games against Indiana and Purdue over a month ago, Maryland went winless the rest of the Big Ten slate. There were strides and gradual signs of improvement, but this season was another reminder of how far away the program is from competing in the Big Ten.

Midfielder Ava Morales, a team captain and senior, played in her last match today. Perhaps more than anybody, she has a unique perspective on what this season meant.

“My first three years, we were kind of at the same level the whole time,” Morales said.  “My main goal was to try to push this team forward so that following years it’s it just keeps getting better.”

“I think my last year was the best year I could have asked for,” she added. “Even though we didn’t necessarily meet the goal we wanted to, it was by far the most fun, most competitive team we’ve had.”

Coach Michael Marchiano will close out his first full season on Sunday against Rutgers at Ludwig Field. Maryland aims to pick up its seventh win of the season after losing as many matches in a row.

Amid the turbulent season, here’s a look at some of Maryland’s highs and lows.

Highs

The Terps recorded three straight shutout wins to open the season — their first time accomplishing the feat since 1996.

Maryland boasts two conference wins — its most since 2022.

The wins can mainly be attributed to standout offensive performances from players who shone when the team created viable goal-scoring opportunities.

A prime example was forward Mckinley Heaven’s run against Indiana and Purdue which she called surreal. Heaven’s first two career goals in the matches were both game winners, earning Maryland its sole victories against Big Ten teams.

[Maryland women’s soccer’s Faith Luckey is enjoying a breakout season after injuries]

“I’m just really glad that I could be here for my team when we needed it the most,” Heaven said.

Forward Kelsey Smith was another key piece in Maryland’s offense. Smith leads the team in goals scored after being named a preseason Big Ten Women’s Soccer Player to Watch.

The redshirt junior credited her scoring success to her love of being on offense.

“I just like taking chances, and if I see an opportunity to dribble, I’m going to do it,” Smith said.

Although another year goes by without an NCAA tournament appearance for the Terps, players had positive views on their coach.

“I do think that’s important that he knows me as a person, and I know him as a person besides soccer,” Smith said. “I think he does intentionally try to build those relationships with all of the girls on the team, which is important to us.”

[Questionable goalie switch costs Maryland women’s soccer in 3-1 loss to Ohio State]

Marchiano’s personal coaching style emphasizes working hard in practice while creating an environment where players are expected to uplift and celebrate one another, goalkeeper Faith Luckey said.

“No matter what you do, you feel supported and encouraged by the people next to you,” Luckey said. “Knowing that, and playing for something that’s bigger than yourself … it makes it easy to play and be excited.”

Lows

It’s no secret Maryland struggled immensely with a road-heavy conference schedule this season.

Any hope the nonconference slate inspired was undermined by the Terps’ worst performance of the year in their first Big Ten match against Penn State. Maryland anticipated the difficulty of the game but still fell short, Marchiano said.

“We need to have the confidence to go and attack this game to the best of our abilities, and know that if we play at our highest level, we’ll have a chance to be competitive,” Marchiano said before the loss.

The matchup against the Nittany Lions was also the first time the Terps began a pattern of allowing opponents to score back-to-back goals in under a minute. It happened again against Michigan and Ohio State.

Maryland conceded the most goals in the Big Ten this season. Luckey faced double-digit shots nearly every match — with a record of 29 against Nebraska.

Future seasons will have to address the “talent gap” Marchiano observed this season, whether it be through harder training sessions or savvier recruiting. The coach called next season’s recruiting pivotal.

“If we’re able to recruit highly talented individuals who care a lot, then we have to make sure that we get everybody in this environment consistently working hard and consistently working together,” he said.

Her coach put it simply to Luckey’s father.

“She’s a goalkeeper.”

The position stuck. Now in her collegiate career, Luckey has logged 82 saves this season for the Terps  — more than any Maryland goalie since 2018.

It’s also the first season she’s played as a full-time keeper.

“You have to be focused for the whole 90, no matter what the score is,” Luckey said. “As a goalkeeper, you never know when that time or moment [when] you have to come up big is going to be.”

She takes a moment and prays before each game. She reminds herself she’s part of something bigger. Written on her leg is Psalm 46:5 — “God is within her, she will not fall.”

Luckey began playing soccer at 4 years old. Her father, Brian Luckey, recalled her “crying on his leg” on the sidelines of her first game.

[Questionable goalie switch costs Maryland women’s soccer in 3-1 loss to Ohio State]

“She slowly, kind of walks on the field, and she scores seven goals, crying the entire time,” Brian Luckey said. “It was the craziest, wildest thing that I’ve ever seen in my life, and everyone on the field couldn’t believe it.”

Many tearful practices later, his daughter grew to love soccer. She developed the agility and focus similar to a football quarterback, her father said.

But when Luckey was a preteen, she tore ligaments and broke bones in her foot and leg from an accident driving a golf cart. She had screws and a plate put into her leg, as she hoped to stay competitive during the soccer recruiting season.

Remarkably Luckey still racked up accolades in high school, eventually committing to the University of Georgia. But when the Bulldogs’ goalkeeping coaches moved to Maryland, Luckey followed them.

“The coaching staff changed, so the goalkeeper coach came to Maryland, and she was like, ‘come check it out,’” Luckey said. “And I toured the campus and went on a visit, and I really fell in love with it.”

But her injury lingered. Luckey was forced to take a redshirt season in 2024 after complications in her healing process led to a bone growing over the metal plate in her leg from years ago.

“Now it doesn’t bother her for the most part, but it took quite a while,” Luckey said. “It definitely reshaped her playing and getting back to it, and a mindset over injuries.”

After not seeing the field in her first two seasons, Luckey waited patiently to make an impact for the Terps. First-year coach Michael Marchiano noticed this year, and now sees the calming effect Luckey has on the team when she’s in the net.

[Maryland women’s soccer’s late comeback falls just short in 4-3 loss to Michigan]

“Faith is a good example of somebody who’s been sort of quietly preparing for her opportunity,” Marchiano said. “It’s the most important thing when players feel reliability from the goalkeeper that’s behind them, and they know what they’re going to get out of that person.”

In the practices leading up to Luckey’s first start in the net, she said she was aware of the competition between her and the other goalkeepers. Despite never starting, Luckey said the offseason practices were about “growing individually and helping the people next to me grow each and every day.”

“I’ve been here for three years, and I’ve been able to play in goal this season for our team, and it’s been really fun,” Luckey said. “I’m glad that I get to do it with a family and a group of sisters next to me.”

She earned the starting job and hasn’t given it up since. Luckey’s been one of the top goalkeepers in the Big Ten this season, partially due to her own play, but also because the Terps’ defense has struggled mightily.

Maryland’s defense contributed to Luckey facing a record number of 29 shotsagainst Nebraska. But even in the face of those issues, Luckey has persisted. Her best game came against Illinois, when she blocked free kicks and made several diving saves.

“She kept us in the game,” Marchiano said. “Hopefully, as we move forward, we can protect her a little bit better.”

Maintaining her cool and carrying the demeanor of the team can be a daunting task, but Luckey says she’s built for it.

“You have to be a little crazy to play goalkeeper, and I think that’s the most exciting part of it,” Luckey said.“I know that my team and our teammates are going to be able to lift each other up in any time, and knowing that and playing for something bigger than yourself, playing for people next to you, it makes it easy to play and to be excited.”

He replaced goalkeeper Faith Luckey – who has played in every game this season – with Maya Cheeseboro, who has not seen any action. She subsequently allowed three second-half goals, which handed Maryland its seventh straight loss in conference play.

The Terps (6-11) lost to Ohio State (8-2-6) 3-1 on Sunday at Ludwig Field. Three late second period goals cost them a chance at a signature Big Ten win.

Marchiano said the plan was to play Cheeseboro no matter what, considering the meaningless nature of the game.

“That was a predetermined decision to reward somebody who we care about their development, and we think that they deserve the chance to play, given the context of the game today,” Marchiano said.

After Maryland’s comeback effort fell short against Michigan, it cemented another losing record and ended conversations of a potential postseason appearance. The Terps were rewarded with a team who has beaten or tied them 14 times in Ohio State, who has allowed only seven goals in the all-time series.

The Buckeyes were without one of their top options in goalkeeper Molly Pritchard. The goalie has recorded a 91% save rate this season, a worrying sign for a struggling Terps offense. But in Ohio State’s last contest against Rutgers, Pritchard received a red card that disqualified her from play at Ludwig Field.

[Maryland women’s soccer’s late comeback falls just short in 4-3 loss to Michigan]

As a result, the Buckeyes were forced to play alternate keeper Peighton Northrup on Sunday. The Terps took advantage with an early goal from forward Kelsey Smith. The team’s goal leader used her speed on a breakaway to put Maryland up 1-0.

The goal gave the Terps a halftime lead, an advantage they have not had much this season. But at the break, coach Michael Marchiano made a puzzling decision to replace goalkeeper Luckey with Cheeseboro. Luckey’s been one of the few bright spots for Maryland this season, as despite being the detractor of leaky defense, she’s been one of the top goalies in the Big Ten this season.

Meanwhile, Cheeseboro transferred to Maryland in the offseason from Boston College. The former Washington Post All-Met selection returned to her home state to join the Terps, but had not entered a match prior to Sunday. 

On the first shot she faced in her career, Cheeseboro allowed the Buckeyes to tie up the match.

The goal echoed similar scenarios this season in which Maryland exited halftime unprepared, allowing the opponent to score minutes after the whistle. Just like last game against Michigan and weeks ago against Illinois, the Terps allowed attackers to slip past their defense for an easy goal.

“We can’t have this sort of victim mentality,” Marchiano said. “We have to fix it, and they have to fix it.”

[Maryland women’s soccer’s Big Ten-road struggles continue in 2-0 loss to Nebraska]

That first goal appeared to open the floodgates in the Maryland defense. The unit allowed eight corner kicks and kept the Buckeyes in scoring position. The defensive holes that have appeared all season seemed to improve in the first half, but quickly reverted to typical expectations by the second.

Ohio State broke through the tie in the 82nd minute with a goal from forward/midfielder Amanda Schlueter, who ran a pass just over the goal line. Seconds later, she doubled up on her goal and launched a second shot into the right corner of the Terps’ net.

The Terps were yet again outshot by an opponent, allowing 15 shots on goal compared to only one. All the promise that popped up in the beginning of the season has faded over the span of conference play.

Maryland now finds itself in a familiar position. At the bottom of the Big Ten, with no hopes for a postseason appearance.

“We’re just trying to make sure that we get across the finish line with a group that doesn’t stop competing, a group that sticks together,” Marchiano said. “We want to make sure we have a team that doesn’t give up.”

The Terps matched a season-high with four goals conceded and lost to the Wolverines, 4-3, at Ludwig Field for their sixth straight loss. Maryland fell behind 3-0 and nearly rallied, but ultimately endured a third home defeat of the season.

“We just don’t want the group to give up,” coach Michael Marchiano said. “If you look at it in isolation, for sure, I’m proud that the team didn’t give in, and that they fought to the very end.”

The match kicked off the Terps’ (6-10, 2-7 Big Ten) final three matches, all of which are at home. Maryland has recorded six wins at Ludwig Field this season under Marchiano after finishing with only two last year.

Marchiano’s philosophy of keeping energy high and working as a unit has shown through the team’s improvements with ball rotation and controlling pace. Despite that, he believes the team has to be “as close to perfect as possible” to close the season strong.

[The Diamondback Sports Digest: Is Terps’ football the ‘same old Maryland’?]

While the Terps endured a lifeless first half Thursday, their second-half breakthrough nearly fueled a victory.

Forward Kelsey Smith received a pass from forward Gemma Davitian and launched the ball high into the left corner of the net for Maryland’s first goal. Only minutes later, midfielder Ava Morales darted past the Wolverines’ defense, culminating in another goal.

“The energy probably came from Kelsey’s goal,” Marchiano said. “She makes a special shot that gives us some life and lifts the team.”

Davitian recorded her second goal of the season nearly 10 minutes later. The redshirt freshman was in front of goalkeeper Sophie Homan when the ball got away from her, right to Davitian.

Matchups between individual players were battles down to the final seconds nearly every time, making for an extremely even contest.

The trio of scores almost compensated for the Terps’ worst defensive performance at home this season.

The Wolverines, off a tie against Indiana, scored nearly three minutes in. In a circuit of passes from attackers, midfielder Vickie Jones shot low just past goalkeeper Faith Luckey.

[Maryland women’s soccer’s Big Ten-road struggles continue in 2-0 loss to Nebraska]

Michigan’s (6-7-3, 3-3-3 Big Ten) consistent pressing made it tough for the Terps to advance into scoring positions in the first half, in which they finished with only five shots on goal.

The Wolverines scored similarly quickly in the second half. Forward Elle Ervin notched a goal before midfielder Jenna Lang tied the team lead with her sixth goal this season.

Forward Gabrielle Prych’s goal in the 66th minute proved to be the difference in a match between two teams who entered with the same amount of goals. They finished tied in shots and shots on goal.

Maryland’s persistent defensive issues — even amid Luckey’s development this season — continue to hinder it in conference play. While the offense has been similarly poor for much of the season, it broke through on Thursday.

“I think they’re gutted,” Marchiano said. “This was a big game. I think if we win this game, we were very much so back in the hunt and back in the mix for [the] postseason.”

Instead, it floundered. The Terps were outshot by 23 and allowed a score in each half, falling to the Cornhuskers, 2-0 at Barbara Hibner Soccer Stadium. Maryland is 6-2 at Ludwig Field this season, but winless on the road.

Both the Terps (6-9, 2-6 Big Ten) and Cornhuskers have struggled in conference play this season, though Nebraska entered with the most shots in the Big Ten. The team’s matchup reflected that — defined by lost possessions, sloppy fouls and a few scores making the difference.

The Cornhusker’s first score came off a handball.

After 38 minutes of unsuccessful offensive play, Maryland midfielder Lisa McIntyre’s hand grazed the ball within the penalty box in an attempt to clear out a cross. The referees reviewed for several minutes before deciding Nebraska (7-3-5, 2-3-3 Big Ten) would receive a penalty kick.

Defender Lauryn Anglim shot straight into the middle section of the net, around diving goalkeeper Faith Luckey, giving the Cornhuskers a one-goal edge at halftime.

[Maryland women’s soccer outclassed by No. 7 Iowa, 2-0]

Just a few minutes into the second half, Nebraska nearly scored again, but had a goal taken away due to offsides. But the Cornhuskers weren’t stopped for long.

Midfielder Reagan Raabe created another opportunity in the 61st minute when she dribbled down the sideline and delivered a pass to midfielder Ella Rudney. With a skillful left-footed finish, Rudney’s shot sailed past Luckey’s outstretched arms, giving Nebraska a multiple-score lead.

Cornhusker’s goalkeeper Cece Villa finished with only one save on a Kelsey Smith shot in the 46th minute. The Terps were unable to produce any corner kicks.

While Maryland had brief opportunities, stringing together quick one-touch passes to maintain possession, it overall struggled to maintain attacks for most of the match. Villa didn’t even touch the ball until the 27th minute on a pass from her teammate.

Meanwhile, Luckey faced 29 shots and ended with 10 saves. The redshirt sophomore entered Sunday averaging the fourth-most saves in the Big Ten with 4.71 per game.

[Penalties have been a recurring issue for Maryland football under Michael Locksley]

Luckey’s 10 saves broke her career-high record again after she set it with nine over each of the past two games.

Luckey has had little help protecting the goal in match play. Maryland conceded nine corners against Nebraska and failed to alleviate pressure off of its goalkeeper. The Terps finished with more yellow cards than shots on goal.

And they finished winless in five Big Ten-road contests this season, failing to score a goal. Maryland concludes its season with three home matches as it seeks to reach .500 in its first full campaign under coach Michael Marchiano.

Without any signs of improvement against high-level teams, the Terps’ spiral toward the bottom of the Big Ten continued.

“That was not a good night for us, and part of that is down to playing a really good opponent, but the other part of that is down to us not meeting certain demands of the game,” Marchiano said.

Maryland was seeking its first road win and goal of the season, but instead put up just three shots in another putrid offensive performance — its fourth straight loss.

The Terps (6-8, 2-5 Big Ten) have outperformed expectations this season after coaches projected them to place last in the preseason poll. Still, hopes of a postseason appearance have been dimmed by lackluster performances in conference play so far.

Maryland has struggled to find results the last two weeks amid a tough stretch that included a West Coast trip and Thursday’s visit to Iowa City. The Hawkeyes, who sit in the upper tier of the conference table with 14 points, allowed just one shot on goal.

[The Diamondback Sports Digest: A familiar disappointment for Maryland football fans]

Unlike Maryland’s historically bad 2024 season, the Hawkeyes are coming off an appearance in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals and the NCAA tournament’s Sweet 16.

Iowa’s No. 7 ranking is the highest figure among Big Ten teams. Looking to bounce back after a draw against Michigan, the Hawkeyes pressured Maryland’s defense from the start.

Iowa thought it found the first goal of the game after a long pass from midfielder/forward Liana Tarasco allowed forward/midfielder Kenzie Roling to chip in the ball, but an offsides call quickly overturned the point.

But Roling wasn’t willing to leave the match without notching a goal. Her next scoring attempt on a fast, low shot to the back left gave Iowa a first-half advantage.

The Hawkeyes’ second goal came from a pass that crossed in front of the net, which forward/midfielder Kelli McGroarty guided into the net with her head in the 75th minute.

Goalkeeper Faith Luckey helped keep the game within reach. She was peppered with 27 total shots and made nine saves without much help from defenders — which has become typical for the redshirt sophomore.

[Maryland football player back with team after hospital visit]

The Hawkeyes’ defense did what the Terps have been unable to all season. Anytime an attacker looked to create a scoring opportunity, they were immediately flanked by a swarm of Iowa players.

Iowa clearly made Maryland’s scoring leaders Kelsey Smith and Ava Morales priorities. At one point, Smith barely crossed into the penalty box before four Hawkeye defenders surrounded her.

Maryland has the second-fewest fouls in the nation. But Thursday, the Terps recorded a season-high 12 fouls, suggesting a change in strategy to stop attackers in a more aggressive manner.

Yellow cards flew in the second half. Maryland’s Delaney DeMartino and Iowa’s Liana Tarasco committed infractions within two minutes of each other early in the period.

After the yellow card on Tarasco, defender Tahirah Turnage-Morales flagged down the head referee before taking a free kick. Gameplay was subsequently paused, with referees having to move fans back who were shouting expletives and harassing players on the field.

“I don’t think we gave ourselves much of a chance to be competitive,” Marchiano said. “They wanted it more than we did. We need players who are going to give that, and whether that’s players [on] this team or players that we add to the program moving forward, that’s only something that they can answer if they’re willing to give what it takes to be successful at this level.”

“We’re disappointed to not control the things that we can control, and we’re running out of opportunities to get that right,” he added.

But after Maryland women’s soccer’s third straight loss — and second consecutive close contest — first-year coach Michael Marchiano took a different approach. He admitted the Terps “probably deserved to concede” after surrendering a late goal in Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Illinois.

“I think we didn’t defend well enough today,” Marchiano told his team after the loss. “We didn’t play well enough today to win the game and probably not even to draw.”

Now over halfway through Big Ten play, Maryland’s once-promising season has hit a rough patch. Marchiano was encouraged with his team’s showing in the Terps’ 1-0 loss to UCLA, but discouraged after falling to the Fighting Illini. Here’s why.

Find a balance with aggressive play 

When Maryland has employed forceful defensive strategies, its paid for it in red cards and free kicks. The Terps’ recent 3-0 loss to USC is the most obvious example. Maryland committed two costly fouls, leading to a free kick and a penalty kick, in a game that was close otherwise. 

[Late goal seals Maryland women’s soccer’s third straight loss, 2-1 to Illinois]

Even though the Trojans and Terps each notched five fouls, it mattered where they happened. USC’s fouls were much less costly, while Maryland’s infractions directly led to goals.The same goes for an earlier match against Florida. The Terps racked up nine fouls, including an early red card that forced the team to play the majority of the matchup with one player missing.

Both of these incidents are important background for why the Terps couldn’t keep up with the aggression they saw from Illinois on Sunday. The Illini committed six offsides and a yellow card after midfielder Ashley Stellon collided with Maryland forward Mckinley Heaven.

On the other hand, when the Terps tried to increase the defensive intensity, Illinois was granted a free kick.

Keep the goalie busy 

It seems that in nearly every game Maryland plays, Faith Luckey breaks her previous record of saves.

[Maryland women’s soccer notebook: Faith Luckey hasn’t received much help in Big Ten play]

The Terps’ goalkeeper has been one of the team’s bright spots this season. She ranks second in the conference in goals saved and fourth in saves per game. But Luckey has been getting bombarded at the net. On Sunday, she faced 23 shots while her counterpart, Illini goalkeeper Izzy Lee, saw only 10.

Luckey’s other stats — a 75 percent save rate, seven losses and a conference-worst 19 goals allowed – are the result of the team’s defense allowing a large number of shots.

Marchiano noted how much the team relies on the consistent performance from their goalie.

“The defensive unit feels good and calm and confident with Faith behind them,” Marchiano said. “We need her.”

Luckey has proved she can handle the pressure of a leaky defense, but Maryland can’t keep relying on her to keep games close.

Struggles against opponent’s top players 

One of Illinois’ goals on Sunday looked effortless. A cross in front of the net to Emma Ye faced little resistance and gave the Illini their first goal of the game.

The Terps’ inability to predict opponents strategies led to critical failures in technical play, Marchiano said.

“One of the things that comes to mind is individual duels,” Marchiano said. “They had some good players and they created a lot of chances against us.”

Marchiano also said the team completes standard film reviews prior to games. But even with this strategy under their belts, it appeared as if the Terps were unprepared to stop Illinois’s offensive tactics on Sunday.

All of these factors resulted in Maryland’s recent string of losses, and could prevent the program from reaching three conference wins — something they have not been able to do since 2022. Illinois was just one example of how things can spiral if the Terps don’t address their struggles.

Jackson’s shot in the 84th minute sealed Illinois’ 2-1 win over Maryland women’s soccer on Sunday at Ludwig Field. The Terps were outshot by 13 and dropped their third straight match.

“We didn’t play well enough today to win the game … and probably not even to draw,” coach Michael Marchiano said.

The Terps (6-7, 2-4 Big Ten) entered their sixth match of conference play after a pair of losses against California teams last weekend. Following the defeats, coach Michael Marchiano said he was encouraging players to focus on “one game at a time” to remain competitive against top programs.

The Fighting Illini (10-3-1, 3-2-1 Big Ten) entered off a shutout loss to Ohio State, though they recently won a high-scoring match against Penn State — which beat Maryland 4-0 earlier this season.

The Terps looked to control pace throughout. Defenders notably took their time after receiving the ball to assess the pitch and control game-flow.

[Maryland women’s soccer notebook: Faith Luckey hasn’t received much help in Big Ten play]

This strategy was likely part of Marchiano’s goal to calibrate team energy and operate as a unit. But after halftime, a hiccup in defensive coordination allowed Illinois forward Emma Yee to connect with a pass in front of the net to score only one minute into the latter half.

“I think our girls had moments of aggression as well, but we lost a little bit of control in the second half,” Marchiano said. “And some of that was technical, some of that was tactical, and some of that is, you’re playing against a good team and so that’s going to happen.”

The unusual October heat made energy difficult to maintain for Maryland, who frequently subbed out players on offense. Seconds after hitting the field in the second half, Maryland midfielder Ellie Egeland sustained an injury that forced her to be escorted off the field.

The Terps’ largest opportunities came on breakaways, with the signature speed and athleticism of players like forwards Kelsey Smith and Mckinley Heaven and midfielder Ava Morales pushing them past Illinois defenders.

[Maryland football continues post-bye week woes, implodes in 24-20 loss to Washington]

Maryland — which notched only four goals across its past five matches and was shutout in consecutive contests — broke through in the 25th minute when Morales scored.

The goal was Morales’ fourth goal, tying the senior with Smith for the team’s lead.

Illinois played with aggression and energy that carried from the bench to the pitch. This style of play had referees’ whistles blowing frequently — five offsides were called and a yellow card was administered to midfielder Ashley Stellon for a rough play against Heaven.

The Terps committed a penalty on Illinois in the box. Goalkeeper Faith Luckey made a crucial save on the initial kick and the rebound with ease, after penalty kicks hurt Maryland in its recent loss to USC.

But Luckey came up just short on her attempt to save Jackson’s game-winner, sealing the Terps’ loss in a second half that they were dominated in.

“If we reflect holistically, we probably deserved to concede,” Marchiano said.

Maryland sits at 6-6 after 12 games, after a 2024 campaign where it won only four matches the entire season. The Terps are 6-1 at home, but there are still lingering questions as they search for their first Big Ten tournament appearance since 2019.

Figuring out the backline

Maryland has conceded a Big Ten-high 17 goals in 2025, leaving it with a minus-one differential in scoring this season.

After a 4-0 loss to Penn State, coach Michael Marchiano knew something needed to change to avoid being on the defensive for much of the match.

[Maryland women’s soccer drops second California match, falls 1-0 at No. 4 UCLA]

Maryland has improved defensively, albeit, slowly. The Terps allowed only one goal to No. 10 UCLA in their latest loss.

“Hopefully the girls can take confidence in the performance against UCLA, because I think there was a really stark improvement,” Marchiano said.

Maryland held the defending Big Ten champion scoreless for more than an hour. It was a major improvement from a 3-0 loss to USC three days before — though most of that loss could be credited to careless fouls and penalty kicks.

Marchiano said players had time to reflect, correct and watch film in between the two matches.

“In the middle of the USC game, we started to deviate a little bit from our principles,” he said. “We definitely spent a lot of time doing analysis work on an individual level and on a collective level, and we walked through some things at a training session, but it was mostly just video review.”

[Maryland women’s soccer drops first match of West Coast trip to USC, 3-0]

Lack of offense proving costly

The Terps have been shut out in every conference loss this season. Against USC and UCLA, Maryland recorded a combined two shots on goal. While the Terps’ opponents have shown an ability to rotate the ball and creatively capitalize on scoring opportunities, Maryland has not.

Going into the season, forward Kelsey Smith was named one of the Big Ten’s Players to Watch. The redshirt junior leads Maryland with four goals this season.

But since teams are aware of her scoring ability and athleticism, Smith constantly faces several defenders on her.

Forward Mckinley Heaven has stepped up alongside Smith. She scored match-winning goals in her first career starts against Indiana and Purdue, earning Big Ten Freshman of the Week.
Luckey in the net

Goalkeeper Faith Luckey has had a very active first season starting.

The redshirt sophomore faced a career-high 27 shots at Penn State, allowing four goals. She notched three shutouts to start Maryland’s season and recorded a season-high eight saves in a win over Purdue.

She struggled on the West Coast trip, conceding four goals over two matches, but much of that was due to penalty kicks and defensive shortcomings in front of her.

Luckey’s been a bright spot in front of a defense that has largely struggled to keep pressure off her. Her next test comes against Illinois, which shutout Maryland last season and ranks top-five in the Big Ten in goals this year.