Nonconference play a nonissue for women's soccer

During Wednesday night's game against American, the Terrapins women's soccer team saw its six-game shutout streak end.

Another longer — and far more important — streak remained intact, though. The Terps' 5-1 win against the Eagles was another notch in a nearly three-year unbeaten streak against nonconference foes dating back to Sept. 14, 2008. Since that 1-0 loss to William & Mary, the Terps have reeled off a 27-0-2 record out of the ACC, with the lone ties coming earlier this year against No. 2 Stanford and last season against regional rival Georgetown.

Another win — or tie — Sunday night at James Madison would cap their third straight undefeated nonconference slate. But coach Brian Pensky knows the Dukes (3-1-1) will be no easy task.

"James Madison has a rich tradition," he said. "We got them, 1-0, two years ago at our place. They are going to be well coached and prepared for us."

Sunday's matchup is the final nonconference game of an eight-game slate that saw the Terps play two top-25 teams in Minnesota (then ranked No. 22) and Stanford.

"In these eight games we always try and find a balance between playing against some really stiff competition and some games that are really going to help our RPI and play some games where if we do things the way we want to do things, we can get some wins," Pensky said.

The scheduling of relatively weaker opponents allows Pensky and the Terps to rotate personnel and try different combinations of players on the field, something that was on display Wednesday against American, when 22 different Terps — or two full teams — took the field.

"Our preseason is so short that we also need some of these games to feel out our players and our personnel and see who plays well and see who plays well together," he said.

The bottom line, however, is still the win column.

"We need wins and we need those wins to help our RPI because we're about to start our conference play in the best conference in the country."

The Terps will open ACC play on Sept. 15 at No. 7 Virginia, with games against No. 25 Virginia Tech and No. 15 Boston College to follow in the next week.

"Starting this Sunday at James Madison, we've got a three-week stretch of six very difficult games," Pensky said. "It's almost like our ACC play starts this Sunday at JMU."

Midfielder Olivia Wagner, who is leading the team with four goals, said she doesn't approach nonconference games any differently from ACC contests. The atmosphere, she said, is not much different.

"[There is] maybe a little familiarity in the conference games because we play all those teams every year, but it's the same thing going on," she said. "We always want to get a win."

With ACC play almost upon it, the team is sharing the same view as its coach, a synchronicity that has translated to results on the field.

"It is our last nonconference," Wagner said, "but our eye's on JMU and nothing else."

dgallen@umdbk.com