A controversial ejection of Mia Mitchell in the 26th minute spelled disaster for Maryland women’s soccer Sunday. The Terps were beaten, 3-1, by Florida in an aggressive match that saw them log a season-high nine fouls against its first power conference opponent of the season.
Maryland’s lone goal came from Tahirah Turnage-Morales in the second half, but it was too little too late, as the Gators dominated
after Mitchell’s ejection.
On Thursday, the Terps go back on the road to face James Madison. The Dukes play out of the Sun Belt Conference and will look to keep Maryland winless in away matches.
The match will take place on Thursday in Harrisonburg, Virginia at 6 p.m and will stream on ESPN+.
James Madison Dukes (3-1-2, 0-0-0 Sun Belt Conference)
2024 record: 12-4-5, 8-0-2 Sun Belt Conference
After winning the Sun Belt Conference Tournament for the first time last year, the Dukes look to repeat that same success this season. Head coach Joshua Waters enters his eighth season of tenure as head coach having led the program to the NCAA Tournament in two straight years.
James Madison is coming off of a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Penn State, a team ranked No. 9 in the nation. The Dukes have kept very consistent in goalscoring, netting 14 scores in just six games. The team has a good mixture of young and experienced talent and look to be one of Maryland’s toughest matchups yet.
Players to watch
Ginny Lackey, sophomore forward, No. 27 — Lackey is a monster on offense, with five scores already on the season, including multi-goal games against George Mason and William & Mary. She was named Sun Belt Freshman of the Year in 2024 and has produced a team-high 13 points so far this season. The Manchester, England native will be a force to stop as she charges into the offensive zone.
Jordan Yang, senior defender, No. 88 — Selected to the preseason All-Sun Belt team, Yang has made good on her expectations. Yang has made many crucial stops, including a late-game tackle in a draw against Penn State, and is very difficult to fool in the open field. She is a big reason for James Madison’s +6 goal differential and looks to give a huge challenge to Maryland’s attack.
Selma Rajakangas, freshman defender, No. 24 — Rajakangas is an imported recruit from Orebro, Sweden, and has already made a big impact. She was named Sun Belt Defender of the Week for her stellar performance in a shutout win over NC State. She played every minute against Penn State and will likely participate in the full 90 once more against the Terps.
Strength
Offensive efficiency. The Dukes average 2.33 goals per game and have outscored and outshot opponents on a regular basis. However, they are also very accurate, with leading scorer Lackey touting a shots-on-goal percentage of 46.2%.
Weakness
Defensive vulnerability. The Dukes were outshot, 24-3, in their blowout loss against Georgetown. Although the Hoyas are a formidable opponent, James Madison appears to be mentally prone when it is behind early.
Three things to watch
1. Can the Terps bounce back? After a 3-0 start to the season, Maryland has recently faltered, going 1-2 in its last three matches. The Terps will find it in their best interests to leave Harrisonburg on top in one of the final contests before Big 10 play.
2. Can the roster recover? Forward Peyton Bernard went down with a right leg injury against Saint Francis (PA) and hasn’t returned since. Ellie Egeland has started in her place. Maryland will also be missing Mitchell on Thursday, due to her red card against Florida, and will need to find suitable replacements to keep its winning season alive.
3. Can Maryland find a fifth win? The Terps remain in search of their fifth win on the season. If achieved, it would be their first five-win season since 2014. While a fifth win would be a monumental achievement, Michael Marchiano would like to “win a whole lot more than five games,” in order to be considered top-tier competition in the conference.
