Thirty-two seconds into the sport, Ohio State’s main purpose scorer, senior attacker Emma Sears, mishit a cross into the field that in some way curled its well beyond Maryland graduate goalkeeper Emory Wegener, giving the Buckeyes an early 1-0 lead and her third purpose in as many video games.
That ounce of misfortune result in an overflow of catastrophe for Maryland ladies’s soccer, because the Buckeyes went on to attain six extra in a 7-0 rout of the Terrapins.
The seven-goal margin of defeat was the most important for this system since Sept. 4, 1993, when Maryland misplaced, 7-0, to North Carolina.
The Terps have now misplaced six straight video games and fall to 2-7-5. Thursday night time’s loss additionally stored Maryland at one Massive Ten win this season, with its hopes of postseason motion slowly slipping away with simply three video games left on the schedule.
Not fairly often are video games out of attain 12 minutes in, however Thursday night time’s was.
From the onset, Ohio State made Maryland appear like a shadow of itself, dominating from begin to end.
The Buckeyes netted 4 objectives earlier than quarter-hour had elapsed, together with a brace from Sears. She doubled Ohio State’s lead off a breakaway within the fifth minute, leaving Wegener within the mud as she basically handed the ball into the far nook. Sears is now tied for second within the convention with eight tallies.
Maryland has been ready to reply to early deficits in earlier video games this season, however that was removed from the case Thursday night time, with the Buckeyes seemingly enjoying the complete first half within the Terps’ finish. It was a steady onslaught from the house facet, and a clearly shell-shocked Terrapin facet noticed its preventing mentality grow to be an unattainable actuality.
The Terps have been with out star heart again Malikae Dayes in opposition to the Buckeyes, and that void was felt after which some.
Only a minute after Sears’ second purpose, it was 3-0, as senior attacker Kayla Fischer dribbled previous the complete Maryland protection and simply slotted it dwelling.
Two penalty kicks in a span of quarter-hour by sophomore ahead Kailyn Dudukovich put the Terps in a 5-0 gap not even midway by way of the opening 45 minutes of play.
An unorganized and uninspired again line couldn’t cease the Buckeyes’ assault, with the Terps seeing themselves being outshot by seven as the primary half got here to an in depth.
A type of pictures on purpose got here from senior midfielder Sofi Vinas within the thirty ninth minute, who was one of some gamers who got here off the bench halfway by way of the primary half when the lead was already insurmountable.
The Terps discovered their footing with the midfield substitutions of Vinas and junior captain Catherine DeRosa, however with the sport already out of attain, the constructive play to finish the half was the smallest of ethical victories.
Maryland seemed aggressive to begin the second half, however the Buckeyes as soon as once more netted a flurry of objectives.
Dudokovich secured a hat trick along with her third purpose coming within the 59th minute after a misplay from senior goalkeeper Maddie Smith, who was substituted into the sport to take over for Wegener on the half.
Solely 29 seconds later, the Buckeyes added on the additional level as junior midfielder Kine Flotre netted her second purpose of the season to make it 7-0.
From then on, with the sport’s end result lengthy determined, each groups stalled. The harm was already finished, and Maryland fell in each convincing and historic trend Thursday night time.
The Terps at the moment are using a six-game dropping streak and can look to get well from Thursday’s disastrous defeat once they come dwelling for the final time this season in opposition to Minnesota Sunday afternoon.
Three issues to know
1. What might go mistaken, did go mistaken. Maryland hadn’t allowed greater than 4 objectives in a sport this season, however shortly discovered itself down 4-0 simply 12 minutes in in opposition to the Buckeyes. After conceding 32 seconds after the opening whistle, it was all downhill from there. Down 5-0 not even 22 minutes in, the Terps seemed the worst they’ve in 2022, and it was a regarding sight with the season winding down.
2. Lacking personnel contributed to the loss. With graduate defender Malikae Dayes out of the lineup on account of a suspension, an already shorthanded again line struggled immensely. Freshman Tahirah Turnage seemed misplaced alongside sophomore Halle Johnson. Moreover, junior midfielder Catherine DeRosa got here off the bench for the primary time this season, and it wasn’t till her substitution after the fifth purpose that the Terps began to manage among the play.
3. Six straight losses. It’s been powerful sledding for Maryland after their conference-opening win in opposition to Michigan. At 1-6 in Massive Ten play, the Terps are shortly falling out of the operating for the ultimate seed within the convention match. Maryland has managed only one purpose in its final 5 video games.
