ACC Men's Soccer Showdown: No. 4 Terps Travel to No. 8 Wake Forest Friday
9/26/2002 8:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Sept. 26, 2002
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
Game 10: No. 4 Maryland (8-1, 2-0 ACC) at No. 8 Wake Forest (5-0-2, 2-0 ACC) Sept. 27, 2002 ~ 7 p.m. Spry Stadium, Winston-Salem, N.C.
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In what should prove to be the ACC match-up of the weekend, No. 4 Maryland heads South to try and earn a win over No. 8 Wake Forest on Friday night at 7 p.m. in Winston-Salem. The Terps' task won't be easy, however, as Wake Forest brings an unbeaten 5-0-2 record into the game. Sporting a 8-1 season mark, the Terps are undefeated in their only other away game on Sept. 15 in Raleigh, N.C. where they beat NC State 3-0.
All-Time Series vs. Wake Forest
Maryland vs. Wake Forest: The Terps are looking to get a leg-up on Wake Forest when the two teams meet on Friday. Right now, the series is even after 24 meetings at 10-10-4. The Terps and Deacs tied last year 2-2 at Ludwig Field, with Maryland's last win in Winston-Salem coming in 1998, a 2-1 victory. That win was also Maryland's most recent in the series. The last three meetings between the two ACC schools have gone into overtime, with one ending in a tie and each school grabbing a win in single overtime.
Awakening the Ghosts of 1968
The No. 4 Terps' 8-1 start is the team's best start since 1968 when Maryland captured a share of the NCAA championship. Maryland finished the 1968 season undefeated at 14-0-1. The Terps' only tie came in the championship game, a 2-2 deadlock with Michigan State to split the crown that year.
Good Starts!
Maryland is not only off to a noteworthy start overall this season, but in the ACC as well. The Terps are 2-0 with a pair of 3-0 wins over NC State and Duke. The last time Maryland began conference play at 2-0 was in 1999 when the Terps beat Virginia 1-0 to begin the season and took NC State 2-0 for a 2-0 beginning. Duke tripped up the then-No. 1 Terps 3-0 to stop the streak.
Should Maryland beat Wake Forest on Friday, it would be the first time since 1977 that a Terrapin team began the conference season at 3-0. That year, Maryland kicked-off ACC play with wins over NC State (2-0), Virginia (4-2) and Duke (3-1) before falling to North Carolina (0-2).
Streaking Terps
Maryland's seven straight wins are the most consecutive victories since 1986 when the Terps won nine in a row that year. The streak began on Oct. 1 with a 6-0 decision over UMBC and continued through Oct. 29 with a 5-0 blanking of Georgetown. George Mason ended the Terps' win-streak with a 1-0 decision over the Terps in the NCAA tournament on Nov. 5.
Terps Now NSCAA's No. 4
The University of Maryland men's soccer team rose to No. 4 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll this week after spending the last week at No. 6. The Terrapins have spent the last three weeks in the poll's Top 10. Five of the Terps' opponents this season are ranked in the current poll, including No. 8 Wake Forest, which Maryland meets on Friday at 7:00 p.m. in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Maryland started the season 10th in the NSCAA preseason poll, but fell out of the rankings after a one-goal loss to then-No. 20 Kentucky at the Virginia Soccer Classic during week one of the season. They rose to No. 10 again the week of Sept. 9, and up to No. 6 last week before settling at No. 4 this week.
UM vs. Ranked Opponents
Friday's game against No. 8 Wake Forest will mark the fourth time Maryland has faced an opponent ranked in the NSCAA's Top 25 this season. This past Sunday, then-No. 5 Maryland beat Duke 3-0 to raise its record against ranked teams to 2-1. In their first meeting with a ranked team on Sept. 1, then-No. 20 Kentucky upset the Terps 2-1 at the Virginia Soccer Classic when Maryland was ranked No. 10. The Terps then met No. 8 Loyola on Sept. 11, earning a commanding 3-1 win over the Greyhounds also when Maryland was ranked No. 10.
Maryland Offense No. 4
Averaging 3.5 goals per game, the Maryland offense is ranked fourth this week among NCAA Division I programs. Only UC-Santa Barbara (4.33 gpg), UNC-Greensboro (4.0 gpg), and Santa Clara (3.6 gpg) are scoring more goals per game at this point. The Terrapins are the highest scoring offense in the ACC, with Clemson next in line at No. 10 nationally. Thus far, the No. 14 Tigers are averaging an even 3.0 goals per game.
Maryland is Tops in this week's Regional rankings
Maryland remains at the top of the South Atlantic Region's rankings this week after beating William & Mary (4-1) and No. 20 Duke (3-0) last week. The Terps are followed in the top five by, in rank order, American, George Mason, Virginia, and Loyola.
Cirovski Celebrates 10th Anniversary
The 2002 season marks the 10th year that head coach Sasho Cirovski has guided the Terrapin men's soccer program. The Terps' bench boss has piloted the program to a 119-71-9 record during his 10 years in College Park. Cirovski, a 1986 graduate of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, is entering his 12th year overall and has a 147-83-15 career record.
Under Cirovski, the Terrapins have over 100 wins, a 1998 appearance in the national semifinals, and eight NCAA appearances. Maryland won the 1996 ACC Championship and has had numerous Terrapins sign professional contracts in the United States and abroad.
Points Aplenty
Nine games into the season, Maryland is not only displaying a talented attack, but a diverse attack, as well. The Terps had the No. 4 offense heading into the week, averaging 3.5 goals per game. Four Terrapins have scored four or more goals this season, with 12 different Terps finding the back of the net. All told, 14 Maryland players have contributed to the offense this season.
Terps Climbing All-Time Assists List
Two current juniors are climbing Maryland's chart for career assists. Sumed Ibrahim (Tamale, Ghana), paced by a 13-assist season last year, is tied for No. 5 all-time with Randy Merkel (1996-98), while tri-captain Scott Buete (Bowie, Md.) is tied for No. 7 with Jason Cropley (1996-99). Both have 18 career assists. Classmate A.J. Herrera (Albuquerque, N.M.) is making a run at adding his name, as well, and currently has 14 career assists.
Maryland Career Assists ChartHonest Abe1. 35 Keith Beach (1995-98)
2. 32 Eberhard Klein (1962-64)
3. 22 Jason Sardis (1997-2000)
4. 21 Shane Dougherty (1993-94)
5. 19 Sumed Ibrahim (1999-Pres.)
19 Randy Merkel (1996-98)
7. 18 Scott Buete (1999-Pres.)
18 Jason Cropley (1996-99)
8. 17 Taylor Twellman (1998-99)
17 Steve Armas (1995-98)
Maryland's Abe Thompson (Fairfax City, Va.) is continuing what he started his freshman year when he led the Terrapins in scoring with 31 points. Through eight games, Thompson has six goals and five assists to lead the Terps in 2002.
The redshirt-sophomore has netted the game-winner in two games, both on penalty kicks.
Thompson picked up Maryland/FILA Classic all-tournament honors after netting two goals and adding an assist against Virginia Commonwealth. Thompson was also named Maryland Student-Athlete of the Week for his game-winner against NC State.
Super Sumed
No one's found the answer yet for the Terp Sumed Ibrahim, who started the 2002 season with a bang and is second on UM's scoring chart behind Abe Thompson. At the Virginia Soccer Classic, Sumed scored seven points in the first half of the Rhode Island game off two goals and three assists, a single-game record at the Virginia Soccer Classic. His performance helped lift the Terps to a 8-0 victory and grabbed Sumed all-tournament honors.
The dynamite midfielder picked-up more hardware at the Maryland/FILA Classic when he earned Offensive MVP and all tournament team honors. In the Terrapins' 2-1 victory over the Nittany Lions, Sumed scored the game-winning goal in the 36th minute of play. Against Virginia Commonwealth, his assist came on the Terps' first goal of the day to set the offensive pace in the second half. The 2-0 weekend earned the Terps the tourney title for the first time in Maryland/FILA Classic's three-year history.
His Maryland/FILA Classic performance also earned him ACC Player of the Week and Soccer America Team of the Week honors.
Against Loyola, Sumed netted his third game-winning goal of the season and added his fourth game-winning goal vs. Duke. The redshirt-junior received College Soccer News team of the week recognition for his performance.
Sumed now has 16 points after nine games and five game-winners after netting the go-ahead goal vs. Manhattan on Wednesday. Last season, Sumed was Maryland's top scorer with 31 points on nine goals and 13 assists.
Beginner's Skill, Not Luck Grabs Diaz Honors
Erwin Diaz (Washington, D.C.) earned ACC Player of the Week honors last week after leading the Terrapins to a 2-0 record . Diaz netted three goals en route to victories over William & Mary (4-1) and No. 20 Duke (3-0). The freshman forward scored the Terps' first and third goals against William & Mary and the second goal in the victory over the Blue Devils. Diaz has four goals and an assist on the season and Maryland is off to its best start since 1968 when the Terps won a share of the NCAA Title and finished with a 14-0-1 record.
Diaz also earned Maryland Student-Athlete of the Week for his performances against William & Mary and Duke as well as his performance in the classroom.
For Terp, Life Is Good
Terps' sophomore defender Clarence Goodson (Springfield, Va.) was named to this week's Soccer America Team of the Week after playing to solid games for the Terps last week, highlighted by an assist on Maryland's third goal against Duke. Maryland shutout the Blue Devils for the defense's third shutout of the eight-game old season and second ACC win. Goodson has one goal and one assist this season for Maryland.
Stammler Gets Honors
The Defensive MVP of the Maryland/FILA Classic, Seth Stammler (Gahanna, Ohio) was named to the College Soccer News Team of the Week for the week ending Sept. 8 for his efforts. Stammler and the Terps captured a 2-1 win over Penn State on Sept. 6 as well as a 4-1 victory over Virginia Commonwealth on Sept. 8 to clinch the 2002 Maryland/FILA Classic.
In addition to pacing a defense that gave up two goals on the weekend, Stammler added two assists to the offensive efforts for the tournament champion Terps. His assist in game one of the tournament vs. Penn State was on Sumed Ibrahim's game-winning goal in the 36th minute. Stammler's second assist of the weekend led to the Terps' first goal of the day against Virginia Commonwealth. He is third on the Terps' season assists list with three helpers in Maryland's first seven games.
All-Tournament Accolades
Four Terrapins picked up all-tournament accolades in the opening two weekends of the 2002 season. Sumed Ibrahim and Seth Stammler picked up offensive and defensive MVP honors, respectfully, at the Maryland/FILA Classic. Both were also named all-tournament at both the Virginia Soccer Classic and the Maryland/FILA Classic.
Abe Thompson and Noah Palmer (Williamsburg, Va.) also earned all-tournament honors at the Maryland/FILA Classic.
No Seniors? No Problem!
With no seniors to be found, the Terrapin lineup may look inexperienced, but looks can be deceiving. Fact is, four Terrapins were on the roster in 1999 when the team earned its first-ever No. 1 ranking from Soccer America.
In addition, eight Terps have been with Maryland for at least three years, six of which have had to take a medical redshirt for a year.
Sophomore goalkeeper? Also not a problem. Fact: starting netminder Noah Palmer was in the hotspot last season for 17 games, finishing with an 11-7-1 record.
