No.1 Maryland Faces No. 16 Wake In ACC Showdown
9/26/2003 8:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Sept. 26, 2003
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COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Two of the ACC's best will be in action on Saturday night at Ludwig Field as No.16 Wake Forest (4-2, 0-1) visits No.1 Maryland (8-0, 2-0). Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.
The Maryland men's soccer program will attempt to win its 500th match against the Demon Deacons on Saturday. The Terps' all-time record stands at 499-261-66.
Wake Forest has historically proven to be a tough opponent for Maryland. The Demon Deacons are unbeaten in the last four meetings with the Terrapins (3-0-1), including a 3-0 defeat last season, Maryland's most lopsided loss in 2002. Maryland has not defeated the Demon Deacons since 1998. In addition, Wake is one of only two ACC schools to lead the all-time series with the Terps (11-10-4).
Maryland enters the game after a fierce rally past George Mason on Wednesday night at Ludwig Field. After going into the break down 1-0, the Terps scored in bunches in the second half to take the 5-1 win. Wake Forest has been idle since last Sunday when it lost a tough 2-0 decision to No. 4 Old Dominion.
About The Demon Deacons
The Demon Deacons got off to a hot start, defeating two of the nation's top teams in the first weekend in No.10 UConn and No.5 St. John's. Since then, Wake taken a pair of tough road losses at Virginia and Old Dominion. The squad also added a 1-0 win over Virginia Tech and defeated Maryland's Wednesday night opponent, George Mason, 2-1.
Wake brings a balanced attack to College Park with seven different players scoring the team's nine goals and with 11 different players each recording one assist.
The Demon Deacons are without leading-scorer Jeremiah White (two goals, one assist, three points), who suffered a broken cheekbone against Virginia. Since he's been out, Wake got two goals against George Mason before being shutout by Old Dominion.
William Hesmer, a first-team All-American according to Soccer America in 2002, will try to keep the Terps off the board. The keeper set school records for goals-against average and shutouts in a season. The back line is returns intact from 2002, making Wake's defense a definite strength of the squad.
In the midfield, 2002 ACC Rookie of the Year Justin Moose and Ryan Alexander will help to lead the offensive attack for Wake. Up front, without White, will be Tomy Szcypiorski (two goals, one assist, three points in 2003) and Scott Sealy (no goals, one assist, one point.)
Jay Vidovich is in his 10th season at Wake Forest. He has never had a losing season at Wake, and last season led the squad to its best season under his tenure going 15-2-4.
Last Time vs. Wake Forest
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Despite a solid effort by No. 4 Maryland, luck would not shine on the Terps Friday, as they dropped a 3-0 decision to No. 8 Wake Forest on a rainy night at Spry Stadium.
After 35 minutes of scoreless soccer, Wake Forest's repeated pressure on the Terps' defense paid off when freshman Justin Moose threaded a pass through traffic and found Ryan Alexander on the left wing. Alexander cut the extreme angle to beat a Maryland defender and a diving Noah Palmer to give the Deacs a 1-0 advantage.
Terrapin junior Seth Stammler was whistled for a foul in the far corner of the box with six seconds to play in the first half and eventually received a yellow card. Wake Forest's Jeremiah White converted the ensuing penalty kick to the right side of the goal and made it 2-0 Deacs at the half.
Early in the second half, Wake Forest's James Riley found Adam Hakes in the middle of the field for a strike into the right side of the net past Palmer to give the Deacons a three-goal lead with 32:18 to play. Palmer finished with five saves in the loss.
Maryland's offense was led by Abe Thompson, who had three shots on goal, and Domenic Mediate and Stammler, who each had two shots on goal. The Terps managed nine shots to Wake Forest's 13.
Last Time Out vs. George Mason
COLLEGE PARK, Md - After falling behind for the first time all season, the No.1 Maryland men's soccer team exploded for five goals in the second half to get past George Mason, 5-1, Wednesday night at Ludwig Field.
The Patriots (4-3-1) got on the board first as Karim Manneh emerged from a crowd in front of the net and got his foot on a ball that squirted through the Terrapin defense and into the net at 6:56 in the contest.
The Terps (8-0), trailing 1-0, wasted no time taking control of the game in the second half scoring twice in the first minute and a half of action. Sumed Ibrahim scored his first goal of the season after Kenney Bertz won a ball in front of the net and slid it to Sumed who found the corner of the net at the 46-minute mark.
Just :29 later, Domenic Mediate played a ball to Abe Thompson who touched it ahead to Jason Garey. Garey, working on the touch line, made a great individual effort on the left wing to beat the George Mason defender and put the ball in the net.
The Terrapins continued to pour it on in the game's final minutes, scoring three times in less than three minutes. Senior Scott Buete got his first goal of the season after taking a feed from Garey in the middle of the box at the 85-minute mark. At 86:27, Nino Marcantonio's cross found the head of Domenic Mediate who finished for the goal. Sumed closed out the Terrapin scoring with another goal off assists from Marcantonio and Jason Arnold.
"Tonight was a different kind of challenge for us, one we haven't faced this season," head coach Sasho Cirovski said. "We know that championship teams respond to these kinds of challenges, and that's what we did tonight. This team showed its competitive grit tonight-they're just a competitive group." Maryland will attempt to win its 500th game in program history on Saturday, Sept. 27, in a home ACC battle against No.15 Wake Forest. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.
500 WINS On The Horizon
With its ninth win of the season, the Maryland men's soccer team will celebrate its 500th win in program history. Currently the Terps have a 499-261-66 record over 58 years of action, including one national championship (1968), 22 NCAA Tournament appearances and two ACC postseason championships. Head coach Sasho Cirovski has been on the sidelines for 139 wins, both ACC titles and eight NCAA Tournament berths, including two Final Fours.
Gimmie two!
When Maryland scores two goals in a game, you might as well chalk it up as a win for the Terps. Over the past two seasons, Maryland has not lost a match when they have scored at least two goals. During that span, the Terps have won 24 in a row when scoring two goals (and tied once to Wake Forest on September 30, 2001). The last time the Terrapins fell after scoring two goals was October 28, 2000, against Clemson.
Front Runners
When George Mason scored the first goal in the game on Wednesday, Sept. 24, it marked the first time all season (637 minutes) that the Terps had trailed in a game. Maryland trailed in the contest until the first minute of the second half and went on to win 5-1. On the season, Maryland has trailed in just 38 of the 720 total minutes.
Top-Ranked Terrapins
By virtue of its win over No.1 UCLA, Maryland is the consensus No.1 team in the nation. This marks the first time in the program's history that the team has been ranked No.1 by the NSCAA. In addition to the NSCAA poll, the Terps are ranked first by Soccer America, Soccer Times and College Soccer News. Maryland has held the top ranking for three consecutive weeks.
Maryland returned all 11 starters from its College Cup team a year ago, making it one of the favorites for the title this season.
The Last Time...
Maryland began a season 9-0: 1968
Maryland won nine in a row: 1986
Maryland lost: December 12, 2002 (vs. UCLA, 2-1)
Maryland lost a home game: November 25, 2001 (vs. Loyola, 1-0 2ot)
Maryland gave up two goals: December 12, 2002 (vs. UCLA, 2-1)
Maryland gave up three goals: November 15, 2002 (vs. Clemson, a 4-3 win)
Maryland lost to an unranked opponent: October 10, 2001 (1-0 to George Mason)
Maryland went to overtime: December 1, 2002, vs. Saint Louis
Maryland won in overtime: December 1, 2002, vs. Saint Louis (1-0)
Maryland lost in overtime: November 25, 2001, vs. Loyola
Maryland tied: September 30, 2001 (against Wake Forest, 2-2)
Terp Forwards Feared
The Terp front line was recently named as one of the most feared in the nation according to CollegeSoccerNews.com. The website commented that, "The Terps are loaded with talent. Juniors Abe Thompson and Domenic Mediate are prolific scorers. Nino Marcantonio, Jason Garey and Erwin Diaz add strength and skill to a group up-top that can make a case for being the best in the nation. Maryland plays a style of soccer that is pleasing to those who like to attack."
Shut 'em Down, Shut 'em Out
While Maryland certainly has some prolific scorers, the team can't lose if it doesn't give up a goal. The back line of team captain Seth Stammler, Clarence Goodson, Chris Lancos and Kenney Bertz have been nearly impenetrable all season. The group allows an average of eight shots a game, but more impressively, just over two shots on goal per game. The Terps have shutout six of their first eight opponents and will threaten the team record for shutouts in a season (13) that the unit set last season. Only two goals have been scored on the Terrapins in 720 minutes of action.
PK's Are OK
Maryland is a perfect 4-4 on penalty kick attempts this season. A.J. Herrera has converted two of those, while Abe Thompson and Nino Marcantonio have accounted for the other two.
In addition, two of those penalty kicks have turned out to be the game-winners. Thompson's PK against UCLA proved to be the difference in that matchup while Herrera's conversion against NC State was the deciding goal in that match.
Ball Control
Maryland has been tremendous at controlling possession of the ball and dictating play through its first eight games. In addition to the stout back line, the Terps' forwards and midfielders rarely give up the ball and constantly put pressure on opposing teams. Through the first seven games, Maryland is outshooting its opponents by a whopping 163-64 margin.
Awesome A.J.
Senior midfielder/forward A.J. Herrera is having an offensive resurgence so far in his 2003 campaign. Herrera scored just one goal and one assist in all of 2002, but has scored three goals and notched three assists, good for nine points (second-best on the team). Herrera was the second-leading scorer for the Terps in 2001 scoring eight goals and five assists.
Honor Roll
Several Maryland players earned tournament, conference and national honors so far this season. Here is a run down of the accolades earned by Terrapin players this season.
Scott Buete: Diadora Challenge All-Tournament Team (8/31/03); Maryland/adidas Soccer Classic Defensive MVP (9/7/03); College Soccer News National Player of the Week (9/8/03); Soccer America Team of the Week (9/10/03)
Seth Stammler: Diadora Challenge Tournament MVP (8/31/03); College Soccer News Team of the Week (9/1/03); Soccer America Team of the Week (9/10/03)
Abe Thompson: ACC Player of the Week (9/7/03); Maryland Student-Athlete of the Week (9/22/03)
A.J. Herrera: Diadora Challenge All-Tournament Team (8/31/03); Maryland/adidas Soccer Classic All-Tournament Team (9/7/03)
Ian Rodway: Diadora Challenge All-Tournament Team (8/31/03); Maryland/adidas Soccer Classic All-Tournament Team (9/7/03)
Clarence Goodson: Soccer America Team of the Week (9/17/03)
Living Large At Ludwig
The Terps completed their first-ever perfect home record in 2002, compiling a 10-0-0 record. Maryland went on to win three more games at Ludwig Field in the NCAA Tournament as it advanced to the College Cup. Maryland has now won 18 straight at Ludwig, with its last loss coming November 25, 2001, to Loyola.
Overall, head coach Sasho Cirovski's teams are an impressive 70-25-4 at Ludwig since the facility opened in 1995. For this season, Ludwig has a dramatic new look with bleachers behind each goal and signs that extend around the perimeter of the field to give it a true soccer stadium feel.
The Terrapins were fifth in the nation in total attendance (19,984) and seventh in the nation last season in average attendance (1,537), and have drawn an average of 2,380 so far this season.
Rocking The Ranked
Six Terrapin opponents are ranked in the nation's top 25 according to the NSCAA poll. So far, Maryland is 2-0 against ranked opponents in 2003, notching victories over No. 15 Furman and No.1 UCLA.
Thompson Climbs Career Charts
Just a junior, striker Abe Thompson is making his mark on some of Maryland's significant offensive career records. The Hermann Trophy candidate is seventh all-time in career goals (31) and sixth in points (77). Cliff Crug is Maryland's all-time leading goal scorer with 45 and Eberhard Klein is the Terps' leading point scorer (109).
Thompson also has 16 assists in his career, which means he is now among the top 10 in all offensive categories at Maryland.
Loaded Schedule
A look at the Terrapin schedule is a "Who's Who" among the nation's elite. In addition to taking on the defending NCAA champions in UCLA, 13 other opponents on Maryland's schedule participated in the NCAA Tournament a year ago. Further, six Terp opponents are ranked among the nation's top 25, according to the NSCAA/adidas Coaches' Poll. Head coach Sasho Cirovski believes that his team's schedule among the toughest ever compiled in recent history.
"I want to make sure we find some weaknesses in our team during the season, and the only way we can do that is to play really good teams that can expose you," Cirovski says. "Then we use those moments to educate our team and get them to correct those things, so we are playing our best soccer in November and December."
Terp Lineups
Maryland head coach Sasho Cirovski has used four different starting lineups in the Terps' eight games. Here is a game-by-game look at the Maryland starters:
Furman: Palmer, Stammler, Rodway, Bertz, Lancos, Sumed, Herrera, Buete, Goodson, Thompson, Mediate
Butler: Palmer, Stammler, Rodway, Bertz, Lancos, Sumed, Herrera, Buete, Thompson, Garey, Mediate
UCLA: Palmer, Stammler, Rodway, Bertz, Lancos, Sumed, Herrera, Buete, Goodson, Thompson, Mediate
American: Palmer, Stammler, Rodway, Bertz, Lancos, Herrera, Buete, Goodson, Garey, Marcantonio, Mediate
Loyola: Palmer, Stammler, Rodway, Bertz, Lancos, Herrera, Buete, Goodson, Thompson, Garey, Mediate
NC State: Palmer, Stammler, Rodway, Bertz, Lancos, Sumed, Herrera, Buete, Goodson, Thompson, Mediate
Duke: Palmer, Stammler, Rodway, Bertz, Lancos, Sumed, Herrera, Buete, Goodson, Thompson, Mediate
George Mason: Palmer, Stammler, Rodway, Bertz, Lancos, Sumed, Buete, Goodson, Thompson, Garey, Mediate
Familiar Faces
Maryland's starting lineup from the 2002 College Cup returns intact, as well as 12 reserves from last season. The Terrapins lost just one player from last season and added freshman goaltender Keegan Riseling to round out the roster.
Thompson, Sumed On Watch List
Junior forward Abe Thompson and senior midfielder Sumed Ibrahim were recently named to the Missouri Athletic Club (M.A.C.) Hermann Award watch list for the upcoming season. Thompson was the team's leading scorer in 2002 with 36 points (14 g, 8 a), while Sumed was a dominant force for the Terrapins in the midfield and scored 22 points (8 g, 6 a).
Maryland ACC Preseason Favorite
Maryland, the 2002 ACC Champions, has been selected as the favorite for the upcoming 2003 ACC Men's Soccer season, as determined by a vote of the league's seven head coaches. The Terrapins finished the 2002 campaign with a 20-5 overall record, including a 4-2 league mark and advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Men's Soccer College Cup. Heading into 2003, Maryland collected 48 points in the pre-season balloting, edging out defending ACC regular-season champion Wake Forest, who finished second in the poll with 40 points.
The Demon Deacons finished the regular-season with a 4-0-2 league record and advanced to the third round of the NCAA Championship. Finishing third in the poll was Virginia with 30 points. The Cavaliers advanced to the finals of the 2002 ACC Championship and made their 22nd consecutive appearance in the NCAA Championship. Completing the pre-season poll in order of finish is North Carolina (28), Clemson (26), Duke (17) and NC State (7). Considered by many to be one of the top soccer conferences in the nation, ACC schools have won 10 national championships in men's soccer over the last 19 years.
A Little Help From My Friends...
Scoring a goal is one of the hardest things to do in all of sports, and the Maryland soccer team is fortunate to have to have two players that make life a little easier for the forwards in Scott Buete and Sumed Ibrahim. Both players are among the best in Terrapin history in dishing out assists, ranking tied for third-best all-time in career with 22. Sumed and Buete each have an assist this season.
Stammler Named Team Captain
Senior defender Seth Stammler is the team's lone captain for 2003. Stammler, a native of Gahanna, Ohio, was a second team All-ACC selection in 2002, as well as earning All-ACC Tournament honors. This will be the second season that Stammler has served as captain.
Terps On The Tube
Two more Maryland Terrapin men's soccer games will be televised on CN8/Comcast Sports Net this season. The Terps' Sept. 5 showdown with defending NCAA champion UCLA was televised, and the Oct. 12 meeting with UConn and the Oct. 31 battle against Virginia on Halloween will also be featured on TV.
E-Mail Updates
For all results, scores and releases on the men's soccer team, sign up to be on the e-mail distribution list by sending an e-mail to Adam Zundell (azundell@umd.edu) with "Men's Soccer Info" in the subject line.
