Maryland women’s soccer collapses in second half, falls to Illinois, 3-2

Within the fifty fifth minute, graduate attacker Mikalya Dayes was in on aim with the Terps already up 1-0. A second aim would have all however sealed the victory, however her low drive was stopped between the legs of Illinois junior goalkeeper Julia Cili.

Simply two minutes later, Illinois took benefit of the miss, as junior midfielder Sydney Stephens blasted a protracted vary effort into the again of the web.

And never even 10 minutes later, Illinois took the lead as sophomore defender Ella Karolak discovered the highest nook from in shut.

It was a dominant first half from Maryland, nevertheless it fully collapsed within the second. Illinois finally got here away with the 3-1 victory,

“We performed into their recreation plan within the second half and we knew their press was going to come back. We forgot to execute our personal recreation plan,” head coach Meg Ryan Nemzer stated.

Maryland ladies’s soccer concluded its six-game house stand, going 2-2-2 to maneuver its report to 2-2-5 total and 1-1-0 within the Massive Ten.

The Terps’ commanding first half started with an instantaneous impression. Simply 14 seconds in, junior midfielder Catherine DeRosa discovered graduate attacker Alyssa Poarch — her fellow captain — for the preliminary tally.

The aim, near offsides, stood in Maryland’s favor to offer the Terps their quickest aim of the season.

Poarch, who was everywhere in the ball tonight, noticed her play to her full potential tonight.

“Tonight was a kind of nights the place I felt like myself,” she stated.

Offsides calls had been a significant factor within the opening half, with the Illini recording 5 to Maryland’s two.

Illinois was in a position to make use of their pace to achieve possession, however the Terps protection clogged the Illinois assault, conceding only one shot on aim from distance within the opening half.

Terps have been robust on the defensive finish all season, however the assault has been continually questioned. The Terps’ offense gave the impression to be answering these questions early.

Whereas Illinois displayed a excessive press after Poarch’s opening aim, it was the Terps who continued to seek out themselves in on aim, with seven pictures coming within the opening 45 minutes.

Junior midfielder Sydney City had a kind of pictures; she had a wide-open header from a couple of ft out within the twenty first minute, however the try was straight at Cili.

Maryland got here shut a few instances thereafter however couldn’t discover the correct shot on aim.

Graduate ahead Mikayla Dayes had one other grade-An opportunity about quarter-hour after City, however the offsides flag went up on a detailed resolution.

After a Maryland nook went awry, Illinois almost got here again after the choice to tie issues up. The away group discovered itself on a two-on-one break with nearly a minute left within the first half.

Happily for Maryland, graduate defender Malikae Dayes prevented a would-be equalizer, getting a slight contact on the tried by means of ball that might’ve led to a breakaway.

Regardless of that likelihood, the Terps escaped the half with a lead — a deserved benefit — as they dominated in possession with a close to 70/30 benefit.

Maryland has been an outstanding defensive group all season, however that was nowhere to be discovered within the second half.

“I believe we forgot what makes us a terrific defensive group,” Nemzer stated. “At moments we had been attempting to resolve issues individually as a substitute of staying collectively as a unit. This will likely be a terrific instructing second for us going into the remainder of Massive Ten play.”

The opening half’s optimistic momentum stalled for a bit when senior midfielder Mia Isaac went down early within the second half following a collision of heads. Thursday evening marked Isaac’s second straight begin, and she or he has been a shiny spot within the midfield.

Isaac would return later within the half, however her short-lived absence was felt.

Maryland had its likelihood to double the lead shortly after, as Mikayla Dayes discovered herself in on aim, however Cili stopped the shot between her legs.

The missed alternative would show pricey, as Illinois got here again on the opposite finish and equalized.

Stephens’ lengthy vary try within the 57th minute extremely discovered its approach into the again of the web.

The Illini continued to reap the benefits of a depleted Terrapin facet, including on two extra earlier than the 72nd minute. Karolak gave the Illini a 2-1 lead within the 66th minute with an close-range strike that discovered the highest of the web, and that was adopted up simply 5 minutes later when redshirt junior Ashley Prell doubled the lead with a shot into the underside nook.

When all hope appeared misplaced, Mikayla Dayes, out of nowhere, despatched a cross-crease shot previous the outstretched arms of Cili, slicing the deficit to at least one within the 78th minute.

“We might’ve scored if we had one other 5 minutes. So it’s simply unlucky the way it ended,” Poarch added.

The Terps stored urgent within the last 10 minutes, nevertheless it was too little, too late, as Maryland fell to 2-2-5 on the season.

Three issues to know

1. The Terps had been unable to construct on an enormous victory. After stunning defending convention champions Michigan on Sunday, the Terps seemed primed to construct on that with a victory tonight. With 45 minutes remaining to enhance to 2-0 within the Massive Ten for the primary time since becoming a member of the convention, the Terps stopped enjoying with the vitality they’d earlier possessed. Maryland put forth a valiant late comeback effort, with Mikayla Dayes slicing the rating to 3-2, nevertheless it wasn’t sufficient.

2. A monumental collapse. Maryland dominated the opening half in nearly each side and will have been up two or three objectives. What transpired within the second half — conceding three unanswered objectives in fast succession — is inexcusable for a group whose protection has been its id all season.

3. A troublesome process awaits. The Terps head to New Jersey Sunday afternoon to tackle No. 4 Rutgers. Rutgers is a nationwide championship contender and is 9-0 on the season.

Maryland has confronted two ranked opponents thus far this season, drawing Georgetown, 1-1, and falling to Wake Forest, 1-0. It can even be a homecoming for Nemzer, who spent 15 years on the Scarlet Knights’ teaching workers.

“We’re going to must be excellent with the small print and the habits defensively,” Nemzer stated. “…It’s gonna be bizarre going into the guests locker room and discovering the correct bench to take a seat at.”