The loss finalized the Terps’ worst season in 30 years.
Even though it had already been officially eliminated from the Big Ten Tournament last week, Maryland men’s soccer had the chance to conclude its season on a positive note.
While the first half was hotly contested, the second half turned into a one-sided affair as the Terps suffered a lopsided 4-1 defeat to Ohio State.
Maryland finished the season 4-8-3, its worst record since 1993.
In the first five minutes of the match, possession changed frequently and neither side was able to mount a substantial attack. Both teams appeared to be playing at a slow and methodical pace, but their attacks were frequently disrupted before reaching the attacking third.
With freshman Saxon Wolcott in goal, the Terps opted to distribute the ball to their defenders on goal kicks instead of attempting to clear the ball past the halfway line. On a few occasions, this strategy proved costly as the Buckeyes managed to advance their midfielders, regain possession and launch counter-attacks, resulting in several corner kicks.
In the 21st minute of the match, Maryland freshman midfielder Leon Koehl delivered a line-drive corner kick to the center of the box. After deflecting off several defenders, the ball ended up at the foot of Bjarne Thiesen, resulting in an effortless score.
The Terps’ midfield was notably active in the first half. On the offensive front, Koehl and Alex Nitzl skillfully distributed precise through balls to the sidelines and down the middle of the pitch, consistently keeping Ohio State’s defense alert and responsive.
Just before the end of the first half, Buckeyes midfielder Andre Roberts evened the game with a contested header that eluded the outstretched fingertips of Wolcott. It was an unfortunate ending to the half for Maryland, which had maintained the majority of possession.
At the start of the second half, Ohio State’s offense established itself, adopting a more aggressive approach and securing a greater share of possession compared to the first half. Ohio State would finish the second half outshooting the Terps, 10-1.
This shift in momentum was somewhat reminiscent of Maryland’s draw against Michigan State, which saw the Terps falter after a strong first half.
In the 52nd minute, the Buckeyes had a fantastic chance on a free kick just outside the box. However, the Terps defense was able to get a piece of the shot, and for the moment, kept the Buckeyes off the board.
Shortly afterwards, though, Ohio State took advantage of a whiffed kick by Wolcott right in front of the goal. It was a deserved goal for the Buckeyes, who dominated there on out, scoring two additional goals in the span of five minutes.
Whereas the first half saw competitive play, the second half was entirely dominated by the Buckeyes, who finished with 17 shots compared to Maryland’s five.
In some respects, the performance encapsulated the season’s recurring theme: moments of hope ultimately ending in disappointment.
Three things to know
1. Evenly matched first half. The first half proved to be an engaging, see-saw contest, with both teams earning two corner kicks each. Wolcott made two saves during this period, including a point-blank stop and a diving deflection to deny a shot that was headed for the lower right corner of the net.
2. More goalkeeper mistakes. Wolcott followed a remarkably similar pattern to his fellow goalkeeper, Mikah Seger, who committed a critical mistake in front of the net against Penn State, resulting in the game-winning goal.
3. End of the road. Apart from the 2020 season, in which the Terps played only 11 matches and managed to win four, the last time Maryland had four wins or fewer in a single season was in 1993, when they secured three wins in head coach Sasho Cirovski’s first season in charge.