The University of Alabama’s women’s soccer team, off to its best start in program history at 5-0, will look to finish with a perfect non-conference slate against Maryland on Thursday.

Maryland will be the Crimson Tide’s toughest opponent so far this season; the Terrapins have only lost one non-conference game since 2008.

“Their team has the total package,” head coach Todd Bramble said. “They are athletic and good on the ball. They are going to be well-organized, and they are going to be good forward and hard to break down defensively. They are just a very well-rounded team.”

The game will serve as an all-important final test for the Tide before conference play begins next week. Bramble said the game will be significant in terms of seeing how the Tide stacks up against an SEC quality opponent.

“For us to feel like we are really prepared for conference play, there is nothing better than getting a good ACC team here to give us exactly what it looks and feels like,” Bramble said.

It will be an important game for the Tide’s defense, which has yet to be tested this year due to the team’s offense dominating possession in their first five games. Along with the questions surrounding the team’s defense, Bramble is looking forward to seeing if the team’s offense can keep up their hot pace that carried them through the first few games.

“We need to be solid defensively,” Bramble said. “We haven’t had all the questions answered yet from a defensive standpoint, so I’m looking forward to seeing how solid we will be against a team like Maryland. Offensively we need to be relaxed and composed on the ball, keep possession and knock it around, and build attacks like we have been able to in some of our previous games.”

In order to be successful against Maryland, Bramble said it will be important for the Tide to keep its composure and swagger that has carried the team through the first five games.

“From a psychological standpoint, we need to be just as confident and just as composed against a big name as we have in our previous five games,” Bramble said. “Our team should have a lot of confidence in themselves. Just because we have a highly-ranked big name ACC opponent coming in here for us, it doesn’t mean we need to change our demeanor and how we feel about ourselves.”