Men's Soccer Year-in-Review
6/21/1999 8:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
January 12, 1999
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Maryland mens soccer team (16-8, 3-3 ACC) advanced to the NCAA Tournaments Final Four for the first time since 1969, following its 3-2 win against Creighton in the NCAA quarterfinals on Dec. 5. The Terps dropped a 1-0 heartbreaking decision in the national semifinals to the Stanford Cardinal in front of 17, 616 fans at Richmond Stadium in Richmond, Va.
TERPS END SEASON AFTER LOSS TO CARDINAL IN NATIONAL SEMIFINALS
Stanford freshman defender Lee Morrison tallied the lone goal of the game on a three-yard header to lift the Cardinal to a 1-0 victory against Maryland in the national semifinals of the 1998 Mens Soccer NCAA Tournament at Richmond Stadium. Morrisons goal came at the 39:13 mark when he connected on the header after a scramble in the box. Despite outshooting the Cardinal, the Terps could not get through the Cardinal defense before time expired. Marylands best scoring chance came in the 54th minute when Terrapin freshman Beckett Hollenbach (Havertown, Pa.) scored on a header, but it was immediately disallowed due to interference with the Stanford goalie.
SENIORS END IN PERFECT STYLE
The 1998 Maryland senior class improved its final regular-season-game record to 4-0 on Nov. 7 after posting a 1-0 win against Michigan State. The four have combined to post a 59-25-6 record since they began their careers four years ago. The four also played in four consecutive NCAA second-round games, and made a journey to the schools first Final Four since 1969.
BEACH FINISHES CAREER AMONG TOP SCORERS
Maryland senior midfielder Keith Beach (Northport, N.Y.) finished his career with 64 career points which ranks him 10th all-time. Beach charted a team-high 14 assists and also scored one goal to finish his senior season with 16 points. A first team All-ACC selection, Beach earned third team NSCAA All-America honors. This years team co-captain, Beach was also named first team All-American by College Soccer Weekly. His 14 assists this season tie him with Gino Ferrin as the single-season assist leader at Maryland. Beach had previously set a personal-best 11 assists during the 1996 season. His 32 career assists also rank him as the Terps top career assist leader.
No. Player Points Years Played
1. Eberhard Klein 109 1962-64
2. Shane Dougherty 97 1993-96
3. Rocco Morelli 94 1968-69
4. Rasim Tugberk 80 1969-70
Cliff Krug 80 1959-60
6. Dom Feltham 73 1986-89
Carlos Martin 73 1959-61
8. John Garvey 72 1987-90
9. Oyton Tertemiz 66 1961-63
10. Keith Beach 64 1995-98
TOWERING TWELLMAN
Maryland freshman forward Taylor Twellman (St. Louis, Mo.) recorded a six-game scoring streak earlier in the season, and in the Terps last nine games, Twellman scored goals in four of them and added an assist in one. All four goals were also game-winners.
TWELLMAN AMONG SINGLE-SEASON POINT LEADERS
Maryland freshman Taylor Twellman totaled 40 points this season which ranks him sixth on the Maryland single-season points chart. Cliff Krug holds the record with 52 set in 1960.
LEWIS HAS STELLAR FIRST YEAR IN NET
Maryland sophomore goalkeeper Christian Lewis (Ellicott City, Md.), who played in only one game behind Andy Kirk last season, earned much respect in his first full season in the Maryland goal. Lewis started and played in all 2,164 minutes this season. He totaled 84 saves in 24 games, and allowed 26 goals. He recorded a 1.08 goals allowed average while posting seven shutouts. His 84 saves ranked him second in the ACC, while he finished ranked fourth in both goals allowed average and save percentage.
1998 FINAL ACC STANDINGS
ACC Overall
Teams W L T W L T
Clemson# 5 1 0 22 2 0
Virginia 4 1 1 16 4 3
Duke 4 2 0 18 4 0
North Carolina 3 3 0 11 6 2
Maryland 3 3 0 16 8 0
Wake Forest 1 4 1 11 7 1
NC State 0 6 0 5 13 0
#ACC Tournament Champion
ACC Runner-up
TERPS MAKE IT FIVE IN A ROW
Maryland advanced to its fifth consecutive NCAA second round game after its 2-1 defeat against Richmond on Nov. 22. Maryland senior Randy Merkel (Carol Stream, Ill.) and freshman Taylor Twellman each scored goals to lead the Terps past the Spiders. Prior to the Terps win against Jacksonville, the Maryland senior class had played in four consecutive second-round games, failing to advance to the Elite Eight in any of those four years.
CROPLEY NEARING ALL-TIME POINTS MARK
Maryland junior forward Jason Cropley (La Canada, Calif.) enters his senior season next year with a career-point total of 57. Cropley is seven points shy of tying former teammate Keith Beach who is currently in 10th place all-time with 64 points.
DOUBLE TROUBLE
Maryland more than doubled its opponents point total. The Terps totaled 153 points in their 24 games, while their opponents totaled 73.
TERPS NEARING SCHOOL RECORD
Maryland received its fifth consecutive, and 19th overall, NCAA bid on Nov. 16, and is one year shy of a school record six consecutive NCAA appearances. Former Terrapin coach Doyle Royal, who was in attendance at the Maryland vs. Michigan State match on Nov. 7, for the 30th anniversary of the 1968 national championship game between the two schools, coached Maryland to six consecutive NCAA appearances from 1959-1964. He also coached the Terps to five more consecutive NCAA appearances in 1967-1971. In the six-year span, the Terps recorded two national runner-up marks, one semifinal appearance and three first round appearances.
TERPS TIE SCHOOL RECORD FOR WINS
Maryland tied the 1997 squad for most wins in a season following its 3-2 win against Creighton on Dec. 5. The Terps finished the year with a 16-8 record.
MARYLAND HEAD COACH SASHO CIROVSKI
Maryland head coach Sasho Cirovski (Wicsonsin-Milwaukee 85) completed his sixth season at the helm of the Terrapin program. He owns a 76-46-8 record with the Terps, and in his eight years of coaching, he owns a 102-58-14 record. Cirovski has guided the Terps to one NCAA Final Four appearance, one Elite Eight appearance, five consecutive NCAA Tournament second round appearances and one ACC championship. Most recently, he coached defensive standout Leo Cullen who was the first player selected in the 1998 MLS draft by the Miami Fusion.
CIROVSKI WINS CAREER WIN NO. 100
Maryland head coach Sasho Cirovski collected career-win No. 100 after the Terps defeated Richmond, 2-1, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Nov. 22. He has an eight-year career record of 102-58-14.
MERKEL AND ARMAS CLIMBING THE CHARTS
Maryland seniors Steve Armas and Randy Merkel finished their careers ranked in the top five on the Maryland career assist chart. Merkel finished ranked fourth with 19 career assists, while Armas totaled 17 career assists which places him fifth all-time. Fellow teammate Keith Beach is Marylands all-time assist leader with 32 career assists.
1. Keith Beach 32 2. Eberhard Klein 25 3. Shane Dougherty 21 4. Randy Merkel 19 5. Steve Armas 17TWELLMAN CRACKS TOP-10 GOALS CHART
Maryland freshman Taylor Twellman scored a team-high 16 goals this season to place him eighth on the Maryland single-season goal chart. Twellman recorded his 16th goal of the season in Marylands 3-0 victory against Jacksonville on Nov. 29. It also marked his sixth game-winning goal of the year.
CIROVSKI TOTALS THREE ACC WINS
Maryland head coach Sasho Cirovski posted three Atlantic Coast Conference victories for the second consecutive season. The Terps finished with a 3-3 record, marking the fourth time in Cirovskis six years at the helm of the Maryland program that he has posted three or more ACC wins. His best mark was in 1995 when the Terps posted a 4-1-1 record.
CIROVSKI TAKING TERPS BACK TO GLORY DAYS
Maryland head coach Sasho Cirovski guided his first Maryland team to the NCAA Final Four on Dec. 5 after the Terps handed Creighton a 3-1 defeat. Cirovski has revitalized a once proud Maryland program when former head coach Doyle Royal was at the reign. Royal led the Terps to 12 NCAA appearances, including one national championship and two national runner-up trophies. The Terps had missed the NCAA Tournament seven consecutive seasons prior to Cirovskis arrival. He failed to make the tournament during his first season at Maryland (1993), but has since then guided the Terps to five consecutive NCAA appearances.
