The Terps finished 4-10-5 overall and 1-8-2 in Big Ten play.
Maryland women’s soccer’s 2024 season was a sign for a reset in the program.
After going 3-2-3 in nonconference play, the Terps started 0-6-1 in Big Ten play without scoring a single goal. Maryland’s struggles in conference play caused Meghan Ryan Nemzer to be dismissed as the team’s head coach prior to a match with then-No. 20 Penn State.
Michael Marchiano took over as interim head coach and the team went 1-3-1 in the final five conference matches. Maryland had a streak of 17 consecutive Big Ten matches where the Terps were held scoreless, dating back to the start of 2023.
That streak was finally broken in a 2-0 victory over Nebraska on Oct. 13 under Marchiano, where the Terps saw goals from Delaney DeMartino and Katie Coyle. It had been 17 matches, 721 days, 1594 game minutes of play and 47 goals allowed between Alyssa Poarch scoring in the 66th minute on Oct. 23, 2022, against Purdue and DeMartino scoring in the 41st minute on Oct. 13, 2024, against Nebraska.
The Terps finished 4-10-5 in 2024, an improvement over 3-10-5 in 2023. Still, much more work needs to be done in the program.
Nonconference play
Maryland women’s soccer went 3-2-3 in nonconference play, scoring 13 goals. The Terps matched its nonconference win total from the season prior and scored more than they did in 2023, but had one more nonconference loss.
Maryland started its season with a win over Lehigh, then later defeated Navy and VCU. Its nonconferences losses came at the hands of American and George Mason, and it tied with Stony Brook, James Madison and Towson.
The Terps got three nonconference goals from Kennedy Bell, one in the opener against Lehigh and two against VCU. DeMartino also had two tallies against Lehigh and VCU, Taryn Raibon scored in back-to-back matches against George Mason and Towson and Kelsey Smith added two more. Katie Coyle, Lisa McIntyre and Peyton Bernard also scored in nonconference play.
Liz Beardsley made 31 saves during nonconference play and allowed nine goals.
After wrapping up nonconference play, the Terps headed into Big Ten play with hopes of improvement.
Big Ten play
After going 0-9-1 during Big Ten play in 2023, Maryland improved to 1-8-2 this season. The Terps finished out conference play strong, winning one match and drawing in two. The Terps finished 16th in Big Ten standings, beating out Oregon and Indiana.
Maryland’s Big Ten slate started with three consecutive defeats to then-No. 5 Michigan State, Washington and Oregon. A scoreless draw with Northwestern broke up the losing streak on Sept. 26, but the Terps quickly got back to their losing ways against Illinois and then-No. 7 Ohio State.
Maryland had six days off after playing in Columbus, then chaos occurred.
Prior to the Oct. 10 match with then-No. 20 Penn State, Maryland announced Ryan Nemzer would step away from the team, and Marchiano was subsequently named interim head coach.
This changed the direction of the Terps’ season. It only took two matches under Marchiano to end the conference scoreless and winless streak. DeMartino scored the goal to break the streak in the 41st minute against Nebraska, and Coyle tacked on another in the 77th minute.
It was a great day for the program and for Marchiano, who won his first game as head coach and received a Gatorade bath.
The Terps hit the road after their magical win for three final away matches. The road trip started with two losses to Minnesota and Wisconsin, but the final match at Rutgers ended differently.
The scoring wasn’t exclusive to Oct. 13, Maryland finished off its 2024 season with a high note on Oct. 27 at Rutgers. The Terps scored with three minutes left in the season as McIntyre blocked a clearing attempt and caught up to a loose ball to score into a wide open net to force a 1-1 draw.
Looking forward
The program enters a consequential offseason. When the program parted ways with Ryan Nemzer, it said a national search for a permanent head coach would ensue after the season.
It is possible Marchiano will have that interim title removed and be named the head coach, but it will be intriguing to see if Maryland goes through a national search for a head coach and who it ends up with.
It has been a dark few years for the program, as women’s soccer is one of the worst programs at Maryland since joining the Big Ten. The program has only made the Big Ten Tournament once (2019) and has not appeared in an NCAA Tournament. Since 2014, the Terps are an overall 17-84-19 in Big Ten Play.