While many Terp fans were fast asleep on the east coast, Maryland women’s soccer fell to USC on Thursday in a 3-0 late-night shutout loss. The Terps appeared outmatched on both sides of the ball as poorly
timed fouls in the defensive zone spelled their demise early in the match. The loss pushed Maryland’s away record to 0-4; the Terps are still searching for their maiden away win under the leadership of head coach Michael Marchiano.
The search continues Sunday, as Maryland extends its stay in Los Angeles to take on No. 4 UCLA. The Bruins are coming off a thrilling 1-0 win against Rutgers and look to maintain their position at the top of the Big Ten standings with a clean win against the shaken Terps.
The match will take place on Sunday at 4 p.m. in Los Angeles and will stream on Big Ten Plus.
#4 UCLA Bruins (7-2-1, 3-0-1 Big Ten)
2024 Record: (17-4-3, 8-1-2 Big Ten)
Head coach Margueritte Aozasa is no stranger to the national spotlight. In 2022, her first year as a head coach, she was able to lead UCLA to a national championship victory. Aozasa has made the NCAA Tournament in each of the last three years and brought the Bruins to a Big Ten Championship last year, their inaugural season in the conference.
The Bruins have dominated their competition this season and have an innate ability to keep offenses quiet, no matter the opponent. UCLA, whose home record of 4-1 hints at difficulty for the visitors, could very well be Maryland’s toughest opponent of the entire season.
Players to watch
Bella Winn, sophomore forward, No. 20 – After suffering a season-ending injury last year in mid-August, Winn has come storming back this season. She delivered the game-deciding goal in the 1-0, season-opening win against Georgia and has become an unexpected star for UCLA this season with a team-leading three goals.
Jennie Immethun, senior defender, No. 15 – On a team of immense talent, Immethun has provided a consistent presence on UCLA’s premier backline. Immethun has started every match this season, has played every single minute and is the leader for a defense that has only given up three goals through ten games.
Emma Egizii, redshirt senior midfielder, No. 10. – Egizii’s leadership and dominance on offense has provided an offensive spark for the Bruins the entire season. She leads the team with six points and was able to deliver in the clutch with the game-deciding assist in Thursday’s match against Rutgers.
Strength
Depth. The Bruins have been able to share the burden well this season, as eight different players have scored a goal. Even if Maryland’s defense can tire out UCLA’s starters, its deep bench will almost certainly be able to pick up the slack.
Weakness
Keeping it close. This UCLA team doesn’t lose often, but it does know how to make its fans sweat. The Bruins have ended every match this season within two scores of their opponents and could potentially be prone to a late-season upset if they let their guard down.
Three things to watch
1. The impossible? The Terps have not won a match against a ranked opponent since 2013, a 1-0 win over Wake Forest. This challenge will be a tall task against a nearly unstoppable UCLA squad; Marchiano will need to reach into his bag of tricks to pull it off.
2. Will the offense reignite? Maryland’s offense looked to be on fire in wins against Indiana and Purdue, but stalled against a strong USC backline. Maryland will need to improve its passing and spacing in the box to create scoring opportunities in the future.
3. What will Maryland bring back from the West Coast? This road trip was always going to be a struggle for Maryland, and the loss to USC proved no different. The Terps will look for something positive to think about on their flight back home from Los Angeles, even if it may not be a win.
