A return to Ludwig Field Wednesday reignited Maryland’s spirit as the Terps notched a triumphant 2-1 victory over Navy. Sophomore Ellie Egeland’s 35th minute score made the home crowd erupt, and the Terps never looked back.
Emma Davitian also found the back of the net for her second goal of the season. The defense returned to its prior dominance, only allowing six shots and giving Faith Luckey a much needed break after the shelling she experienced against Old Dominion. This marked Maryland’s fourth
win of the season, already tying their 2024 win total.
On Sunday, the Terps will face their first Power Five opponent of the season as they take on Florida. The Gators last played Maryland in 2023, winning 1-0, and look to repeat that success after mixed results early this year.
Sunday’s match will take place at Ludwig Field at noon and stream on Big Ten Plus.
Florida Gators (2-2-0, 0-0-0 SEC)
2024 record: (4-8-6, 1-7-2 SEC)
After finishing dead last in SEC standings in 2024, Samantha Bohon looks to climb the conference rankings this season as she begins her fourth year at the helm. This year, Bohon has brought major attention to player development and recruiting, bringing in one of the better recruiting classes in the SEC.
Against weaker opponents, Florida can tear a match wide open with overwhelming shot-taking that cripples its opponents. They demonstrated this in a 4-2 win over Towson and a 5-0 routing of North Florida. But against stronger defenses, the Gators can have tired themselves out and lost close battles when offensive opportunities are scarce. Florida is coming off a close 1-0 loss to UCF and is eager to bounce back in a big way.
Players to watch
Megan Hinnenkamp, redshirt sophomore forward, No. 4 — After missing 2024 due to injury, Hinnenkamp is itching to make a strong return. In 2023, she scored eight goals and was named to the All-SEC second team, one of three to be named as a freshman. She logged an assist against North Florida and could become further integrated to the offense as the season progresses.
Katie Johnston, freshman forward, No. 99 — Johnston, the crown jewel of Florida’s recruiting class, earned ECNL All-American honors last year. She even enrolled early to train with the team in the spring of 2025 and logged two goals and two assists each against Towson. Expect her to be a thorn in Maryland’s side Sunday.
Charlotte McClure, redshirt senior midfielder, No. 8 — On this youthful roster, McClure provides five years of crucial Division I wisdom. McClure hopes to lead by example for Florida’s young core this season and has already logged four shots. Her pristine passing and footwork in the middle of the pitch will be important for a Floridian challenge..
Strength
Depth. Eight different players have scored at least one goal this season. Florida’s scoring opportunities can come from just about anywhere, regardless of experience. Maryland cannot count out a single Gator attacker.
Weakness
Inconsistency. While the team has had two blowout wins, each of their losses have been shutouts. If Florida fails to score a goal early, the rest of the team may falter, and opponents have already taken advantage.
Three things to watch
1. Can the Hometown Halfshells deliver? The Terps improved to 4-0 at home after their win against Navy and look to keep the streak alive. With a large student presence expected at Ludwig, a fifth home win would provide a great boost to the fanbase.
2. Will the Terps secure a fifth win? The last time the Terps won five matches was in 2014, when they had a record of 5-6-7. Most of the current Maryland roster was in elementary school at that time. A fifth win on Sunday would mark a turning point in the culture of Maryland’s women’s soccer program.
3. Will underclassmen continue to shine? Against Navy, every point was scored by an underclassman, as Egeland and Davitian scored while Kate Hawley provided an assist off a rebound. As head coach Michael Marchiano’s recruiting practices have appeared to pay off, these young Terps look to remain active and dominate on the offensive end.
