Grabfelder’s Set Piece Score Warrants 1-1 Draw at No. 12 Maryland – Penn State

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Aided by sophomore midfielder Caden Grabfelder’s set-piece score in the 62nd minute, the Penn State men’s soccer team battled to a 1-1 draw against the No. 12 Maryland Terrapins from Ludwig Field Tuesday night. The Nittany Lion netted his third goal of the 2024 campaign to extend Penn State’s unbeaten streak to three consecutive matches.

With the draw in hand, Penn State moved to 4-5-1 overall with a 1-2-1 mark against Big Ten Conference competitors this season. Maryland moved to 5-1-4 overall this season and 3-0-1 against B1G foes in 2024. In the all-time series, the Terrapins maintain a narrow 9-6-3 record against Penn State, but the Nittany Lions remain unbeaten through the last seven meetings, winning four and tying three in a span dating to the 2018 regular season.

FIRST HALF

Neither team managed a shot through the opening moments of the match, but the home squad managed to get the action rolling in the attacking third in the sixth minute, followed by the first shot on goal of the night in the eighth which was safely corralled by graduate goalkeeper Andrew Cooke. The Nittany Lions forced the first corner kick opportunity of the contest in the 14th minute, and Grabfelder notched his first of four shot attempts in the 15th, sailing off target to keep the match knotted at nil.

Maryland managed to even the corner kick battle with their first opportunity in the 22nd minute of action, and both squads battled for offensive opportunities as the match played on. With less than five minutes remaining in the first half, the Terrapins built a dangerous scoring opportunity with a high-arching ball to the left wing. A well-timed run put a Maryland attacker in position to score from the left side of the box, but a brilliant save from Cooke kept things level heading into the halftime intermission.

SECOND HALF

Out of the break, the Terrapins were able to secure the first two corner kick opportunities of the final 45, warranting a shot off target and blocked shot, respectively. Graduate midfielder Michael Hewes forced a save from the Maryland keeper in the 52nd minute, but the Terps were ultimately able to find the back of the net first moments later. After switching fields on a service from around the midfield line, a Maryland attacker worked his way into the Nittany Lion penalty box and netted a right-footed shot for the first score of the contest in the 56th.

Penn State wasted no time in finding an answer, as the Blue & White seized…