Maryland Terrapins
Overall Rank: #40
#7 Big Ten
Maryland Team Page
Maryland will be a very interesting team to watch this year. The program is heading to the Big Ten and that is a relatively significant drop off in competition compared to the ACC. Will the Terrapins immediately take a spot next to Penn State and Michigan on the top of the Big Ten pecking order or will their general unfamiliarity with their opposition keep them down towards the bottom of the standings for a year or two? Of their new conference mates, Maryland has only played Penn State and Rutgers more than once in their history.
2013 Record: 10-10-0, 6-7-0
2013 Postseason: None
Coach: Jonathan Morgan
Returning Leaders:
Goals: Ashley Spivey, Junior, M, 6
Assists: Shannon Collins, Junior, D, 6
Shots: Ashley Spivey, Junior, M, 37
Saves: Rachelle Beanlands, Junior, GK, 60
Other Key Returnees: F Alex Doody, F/M Natasha Ntone-Kouo, M/F Lauren Berman, M Corey Ryan, M Aubrey Baker, M Riley Barger, M Sarah Fichtner, D Shade Pratt, D Erika Nelson
Key Losses: F Hayley Brock, D Megan Gibbons
Strengths:
The strength of Maryland should reside in the midfield where Ashley Spivey, Lauren Berman, Cory Ryan, Aubrey Baker and Riley Barger return. Spivey has started 40 of 41 games during her first two seasons with the Terps and has scored 11 goals with six assists during that time. In 2013 she netted six goals, although three of those did come in a 9-0 blowout of The Citadel during the season opener. Regardless, her versatility to play in the midfield and up front does give Coach Jonathan Morgan some options. Lauren Berman and Cory Ryan are always threats to score, but also combined for nine assists in 2013. With the talent and experience Maryland has in the midfield, they should be able to control tempo and help cover for this team’s weaknesses.
Weaknesses:
Perhaps the most notable weakness comes up front. Haley Brock is gone after netting a team high 12 goals and nobody else on the team scored more than three besides Spivey. Spivey could turn into the main goal scoring threat, but she is better suited to work with a bigger goal scoring threat like Brock. Alex Doody, who scored three goals last season, and redshirt sophomore Alexis Prior-Brown are returning options. However, redshirt freshman Alex Anthony and incoming freshman Madison Shipman will get opportunities up front as well. The Maryland defense did not perform particularly well in 2013. There is returning talent, most notably defenders Shade Pratt and Erika Nelson and keeper Rachelle Beanlands, but the team allowed 31 goals and had the worst save percentage in the conference. Those numbers are all a little skewed since Virginia and Notre Dame combined to score 11 goals against Maryland and those were just a couple of games that got away from the Terrapins. The Big Ten does not have as many teams that can do that to Maryland, but there is still plenty of room for improvement.
Final Projection:
The Maryland defense should be better for multiple reasons. The midfield can hold onto the ball and limit action in their defensive third and the competition is just not as strong, especially offensively. As long as Maryland can take advantage of their offensive opportunities and find somebody to help out Spivey, this team is good enough to reach the NCAA Tournament. Big Ten teams may have trouble in College Park and the Terrapins two toughest conference road games come against Wisconsin and Penn State at the end of the season. By then Maryland will have all their questions answered.
Projected Postseason: NCAA Tournament
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 1.75 (77th in nation, 7th in conference)
Goals-Against Average: 1.542 (227, 11)
Shutout Percentage: 0.300 (156, 8)
Save Percentage: 0.687 (299, 14)
Madness 2014 Women’s Soccer Recruit Rankings:
#114 Julia Moore
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