The Terps look for their first conference win against a ranked opponent.
After starting with a draw and a loss, Maryland women’s soccer completes its three-match road stretch at No. 7 Ohio State.
The Terps and Buckeyes will meet on Friday night in Columbus, Ohio, the only time this season the Terps will play on a day other than Thursday or Sunday.
Friday night’s match will kickoff at 7 p.m. and stream on Big Ten Plus.
No. 7 Ohio State Buckeyes (8-1-3, 3-0-2 Big Ten)
The Buckeyes come into the match with only one loss on their record, coming during nonconference play to then-No. 13 Auburn, 1-0.
Ohio State’s last match was a 2-1 victory over rival Michigan in Ann Arbor. Prior to the win over the Wolverines, it had drawn twice and won three games in Big Ten play. The Buckeyes tied then-No. 1 Michigan State, 2-2, and then-No. 18 Iowa, 1-1, but downed Michigan, Northwestern and Indiana.
The Buckeyes beat then-No. 24 Duke, Milwaukee, Ashland, Navy and Brown in nonconference play. They also had a 1-1 draw with then-No. 21 South Carolina.
Players to watch
Kailyn Dudukovich, senior forward, No. 21 — Dudukovich leads the Buckeyes with 11 goals and 23 points this season. She has 48 shots and 28 shots on goal this season. Dudukovich posted a hat trick in a 4-0 victory over Milwaukee. She earned All-Big Ten second-team honors last year and was named to the All-Big Ten third team as a freshman.
Amanda Schlueter, sophomore forward/midfielder, No. 2 — Schlueter has eight goals and a team-high five assists this season. She has taken 42 shots — 20 on goal — in 12 matches for the Buckeyes. Schlueter was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team in her first season with Ohio State, notching six goals and seven assists in 19 games.
Molly Pritchard, junior goalkeeper, No. 1 — Pritchard is a three-year starter for Ohio State. She has conceded seven goals and made 40 saves this year, for a 0.6 goals against average and a 85.1% save percentage, a big improvement from 2023, when she tallied a 1.6 goals against average and a 74.3% save percentage. Pritchard was on the 2022 Big Ten All-freshman team.
Strength
Goal differential. Ohio State has a goal differential of 17 in 2024, with 25 goals and seven goals against. The Buckeyes rank fifth in the Big Ten in goal differential, behind No. 5 Michigan State, Indiana, No. 19 Penn State and No. 11 Iowa. Dudukovich is the second-highest goal scorer in the Big Ten. Meanwhile, Pritchard has the second-best save percentage in the conference for goalkeepers who have played 10 or more matches.
Weakness
Corners. Ohio State has struggled producing corner opportunities in 2024. It ranks 12th in the Big Ten with 60.
Three things to watch
1. Can Beardsley contain the Buckeyes? Liz Beardsley has been unbelievable in net for the Terps this season. She has allowed 20 goals and made 51 saves this season. She’s also notched a 1.5 goals against average and a 71.8% save percentage. In her last two matches, she has conceded only one goal and made 12 saves.
But Ohio State is the No. 7 team in the country and possesses a much stronger attack than Northwestern and Illinois. In her only match against a top-10 opponent, Beardsley allowed five goals to Michigan State. Beardsley needs to be on her A-game Friday if the Terps want a shot.
2. The Buckeye blues. Ohio State and Maryland have faced off 12 times since 2012. Since then, the Terps are 0-10-2 when facing the Buckeyes. The Terps have only scored seven goals against Ohio State, while allowing 29. Last year, Ohio State beat Maryland, 1-0, in College Park. In 2022, the Buckeyes beat the Terps, 7-0, in Columbus.
3. Turnage-Morales will be tested. Tahirah Turnage-Morales, one of Maryland’s best defenders, has been a strong force on the back end in 2024. After missing all of 2023, Turnage-Morales’ has only faced Ohio State in 2022. She will look to contain the potent Buckeye offense on Friday.