2006 Men's Soccer Outlook
8/16/2006 8:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Aug. 16, 2006
College Park, Md. - Do not call the 2006 Maryland men's soccer team defending national champions. That statement hints that the team is somehow protecting last year's championship. More accurately, the Terrapins are the returning national champions, and are pursuing a new title in a new year with the same hunger and determination of past seasons.
"We are certainly very proud of 2005, but that's filed," head coach Sasho Cirovski says flatly.
Talented players at Maryland are a given, but one of the main question marks for the Terps heading into this season will be leadership both on and off the field. While Maryland did haul in the nation's fourth-best recruiting class, the Terps lose six seniors from last season, four of which started over 80 games in their careers in College Park. The loss of that group's experience and production will obviously be missed, and it leaves a void where a new set of leaders will need to emerge.
"One of the keys this year is going to be how quickly we can have players step up as leaders and take it upon themselves during the difficult moments that inevitably happen during a season, but that's what we've worked on in the spring," Cirovski says. For that leadership, Cirovski will lean on his two seniors, A.J. Godbolt and Pat Wilson, as well as his two team captains, juniors Stephen King and Maurice Edu.
The Terps return six starters from last year's team, including its entire midfield. Maryland will have to re-build its back line with mostly freshmen and sophomores, but will benefit from having one of the premiere keepers in the college game in sophomore Chris Seitz. With the departure of the school's all-time goal scorer in Jason Garey, the Terrapins will also need to find several players to pick up the offensive slack.
"This is going to be our most challenging year of the last five or so because we are integrating more new players in new places than we have had to in the past," Cirovski says. "I believe we've put together a schedule that will test us, but not break us. Hopefully we can continue to get better as the season goes on. I'm certain we will go through difficult situations and we will improve. At the end of the day, we'll end up being a contender."
With four straight College Cup appearances, more wins than any other program over the last four seasons and a national title to his credit, there is little reason to doubt Cirovski's assertion that his team will again be dangerous in November.
Forward
With the loss of all-everything striker Jason Garey, the Maryland offense lost exactly one-third of its goal production from last season. The Terps will not simply try to find one player to take on Garey's role, but will rather try to find several players who can help produce scores. The playmaking talent in the midfield will have a large impact on the Terps' offensive game plan and ease the burden on what will likely be a young crop of strikers.
"When you lose a player like Jason Garey, the question naturally becomes, `Where are our goals are going to come from?'" Cirovski says. "There is an opportunity for several players to have an impact. We have some talented players that will be excited and energetic for that challenge."
Sophomore Graham Zusi is in a similar mold as Garey with deceptive speed and a nose for the goal, and should have a chance to build on his five-goal, two-assist freshman campaign. With increased confidence, junior Aki Kadotani has skill and poise in the box that could have him in the mix for a spot up top. Freshmen Jeremy Hall, Jason Herrick and Drew Yates are creative, skillful players that can also find the back of the net. Newcomer Rich Costanzo, the Big Ten Player of the Year at Penn State in 2004, is a dangerous player whose best spot on the field has yet to be determined, and could also see time as a forward.
Midfield
The Terrapins will boast arguably the top midfield in the country with Maurice Edu, A.J. Godbolt, Stephen King. Cirovski will rely heavily on this unit to support the youth up top and in the back.
"I think this could be the best midfield in the country," Cirovski says. "They will really have to step up their level of leadership in linking the backs and the forwards together. Our central midfielders Maurice and Stephen will be crucial in terms of seeing things behind them and in front of them and linking together."
Edu, a second team All-ACC selection last season, took on the role of holding midfielder towards the end of last year and was key in Maryland's postseason run. Edu is the quintessential midfielder with the ability to halt an opponent's attack and then get his team moving forward. Edu, who has battled injuries during his first two seasons, will be 100 percent heading into 2006.
King was quietly one of the most potent offensive weapons in the ACC last season with 15 goals and eight assists. A starter in every game Maryland has played over the last two seasons, King's production and leadership in the attacking midfielder role will be one of Maryland's keys to success.
Godbolt served up 13 assists from his position on the right flank, earning his reputation as one of the top crossers in the college game. His touch on the ball and his ability to create space for others makes him a vital part of the Terp attack. Adding depth in the midfield will be Drew Yates and Jeremy Hall, who can play either of the wide midfield spots, as well as sophomore Michael Marchiano whose best position is defensive midfielder. Aki Kadotani could also see time in the midfield to help spark the Terp offense as well as newcomer Tyler Mishalow.
Defense
With the departure defensive stalwarts Kenney Bertz, Chris Lancos, Michael Dello-Russo and David Glaudemans, who combined for over 270 career starts over the last four years, Cirovski has used the offseason to help prepare his revamped back line for the fall.
"We put our players in as competitive environment as we could in the spring," Cirovski says. "We got a great test from the MLS teams we played as well as Wisconsin, and our own midfielders and forwards will challenge them in preseason training as well."
The lone returning member of the defense is sophomore A.J. Delagarza, who made 13 starts for the Terps last season, including two critical performances in the College Cup. Delagarza will be a left centerback for the Terps and provides the toughness and tenacity necessary for the position.
Freshman Omar Gonzalez is an imposing 6-5 defender who Cirovski believes is a more versatile form of Bertz. Gonzalez, along with fellow newcomer Jeremy Hall, played for the U.S. U-17 team in the World Championships in 2005 and has played several different positions throughout his career. His ability to read the game could put him in position to be one of the defensive leaders from the centerback position.
Spencer Allen played well at the leftback position in the spring, and will begin preseason camp at that position. Allen has plenty of game experience, although he has seen most of his action in the midfield up to this point.
The rightback position is up for grabs among several players heading into the fall. Among the candidates for the spot are returnees Pat Wilson, Matt Beckman and Kwame Darko, and newcomers Rich Costanzo, Justin Kendro and Jon Ports.
"We like to have one of the outside backs to be dangerous, a role that Chris Lancos filled so well for us over the last few years," Cirovski says. "We have some transformed strikers in the back that have a good attacking mentality. A large part of our attack is getting players forward out of the back."
Goalie
Chris Seitz, the Defensive MVP from the College Cup a year ago, returns as Maryland's starting goalkeeper for 2006. Seitz battled an injured shoulder toward the end of last season and had offseason surgery, and should be 100 percent by the start of preseason training. Seitz will be key in leading Maryland's young defense.
"Chris has a great presence in goal and has great communication skills," Cirovski says. "He reads and understands the game beyond his years and therefore has the ear and the respect of all the players. I feel like he's going to do a great job of connecting the back four very quickly.
"He has the ability to keep us in games when we're struggling and help us win games that are tight," Cirovski adds.
Sophomore Aaron Chinn joined the squad in January, and saw all of the action in goal for the Terps in the spring while Seitz recovered from surgery. Chinn and freshman Josh Mikulewicz will help push Seitz in training.
Schedule
The Terps will go against 10 teams that competed in the 2005 NCAA Tournament, including fellow College Cup participant Clemson. Maryland will play 13 games at Ludwig Field, and the 2006 ACC Tournament will be played in Germantown, Md.
"This is another challenging, exciting schedule that has a little bit of everything," Cirovski says. "The ACC schedule alone is extremely demanding because it is, in my opinion, the strongest and most balanced conference in the country. And we will also be put to the test against a very competitive non-conference slate."
The 2006 regular season begins on the road on Aug. 25 against 2005 NCAA Tournament qualifier Old Dominion. Maryland will then begin a three-game homestand on Sunday, Aug. 27, against Binghamton. For the third time in four years, the Terrapins will face UCLA in the regular season on Friday, Sept. 1. The homestand will conclude on Monday, Sept. 4, against Louisville.
Maryland will begin ACC play on the road against Clemson on Friday, Sept. 8, before another three-game homestand against Mt. St. Mary's (Sept. 13), NC State (Sept. 16) and Penn State (Sept. 20).
The Terps will then enter a stretch where they will play three of their next five games on the road, including key ACC matchups against Wake Forest (Sept. 26), North Carolina (Oct. 6) and Virginia (Oct. 11). In between those games, Maryland will play host to non-conference foe Loyola (Sept. 26) and 2005 ACC Tournament champion Duke (Sept. 29).
The Terrapins will play its final five regular season games in the friendly confines of Ludwig Field. Boston College (Oct. 14), Hartwick (Oct. 19), Albany (Oct. 22), Bucknell (Oct. 24) and Virginia Tech (Oct. 27) wrap up the regular season for Maryland.
The ACC Tournament will be played Nov. 1-5 in Germantown at the SoccerPlex. The NCAA Tournament will begin Nov. 10-11, and will conclude Dec. 1-3 with the College Cup in St. Louis.
