Maryland looks to rebound from their loss to Michigan Friday.
At the end of the first half of Maryland men’s soccer’s match against UCLA, midfielder Leon Koehl suffered an injury to his lower leg that forced him to limp onto the medical cart.
Since then, Maryland has been outscored 3-0 and has not looked like the dominant force that earned the No. 2 ranking in the country.
The Terps face a quick turnaround against Rutgers on Tuesday night that offers them a chance to get back on track and prove they can win without their star man in the middle of the pitch.
The game will kick off at 7 pm and air on Big Ten Plus.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights (4-9-2, 1-6-1 Big Ten)
Rutgers has been the worst team in the conference this season. The Scarlet Knights have just four points in conference standings, with their only victory coming against fellow bottom-dweller Wisconsin.
For a team that has struggled as much as they have, the Scarlet Knights have been in many close games, losing by a goal four different times.
Head coach Jim McElderry led the program to its only win at Ludwig in the last 60 years last season, and will look to pull off a major upset at home.
Players to Watch
Curt Calov, senior midfielder, No. 9 — Calov has been Rutgers most dangerous option going forward in 2024 with five goals on the season. Most of Calov’s goals came earlier in the season, as he has been in a bit of slump with just one in his last nine appearances.
Nick Collins, sophomore defender, No. 4 — Collins impressively broke into college soccer last season and became an instant starter on Rutgers back line. Standing at 6-foot-4, he is a physical presence at the back. Collins earned a spot on the Big Ten All-Freshman team in 2023.
Ola Maeland, graduate forward, No. 17 — Maeland has three goals and two assists playing up top for Rutgers this season. The Norwegian had a good playoff run last year, earning a spot on the Big Ten All-Tournament team.
Strength
Goalkeeping. Ciaran Dalton has faced a lot of shots in goal for Rutgers in 2024. While he has conceded more goals than preferred this year, he has a lot of shot-stopping ability for the Scarlet Knights. Maryland is coming off a game in which the opposing goalkeeper made eight saves.
Weakness
Offense. Rutgers has scored just 17 times this season, which is good for third worst in the conference. It hasn’t scored more than a goal in a game since Big Ten play started and should be in for a difficult matchup against Maryland’s defense and Laurin Mack.
Three things to watch
1. Maryland’s potential rest advantage. Both teams are playing this game after playing Friday, but Rutgers’ game was three time zones away in Seattle against Washington. Fatigue could play a factor in the Scarlet Knights’ performance.
2. How will the Terps respond? This will be Maryland’s first time playing a game directly after a loss since August, when it played Detroit Mercy after losing to then-No. 16 Georgetown. The Terps will look to avoid a spiral after falling to Michigan on the road.
3. Can Maryland be clinical? In the second half against Michigan, the Terps created plenty of chances to get back into the game, but couldn’t finish any of them. Colin Griffith had the worst of it, missing a penalty and then hitting the post twice.