No. 6 Terps and No. 14 Duke Meet In ACC Clash
9/28/2006 8:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Sept. 28, 2006
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The No. 3 men's soccer team plays host to ACC rival No. 14 Duke on Friday night at 8:00 p.m. at Ludwig Field. The match will be televised live by Fox Soccer Channel with Sean Wheelock and Keith Tabatznik calling the action. Gates will open at 6:30 p.m. and the first 1,000 students that arrive will receive a free "Beat Duke" t-shirt.
Terps-Devils Hook Up For ACC Battle
• The No. 3 Maryland men's soccer team hosts ACC rival Duke, ranked No. 14 in the latest NSCAA poll, on Friday night at 8:00 p.m. in a match televised nationally by the Fox Soccer Channel. Sean Wheelock will provide the play-by-play and Keith Tabatznik will be the the color commentator.
• The two sides met twice last year and split the games. The Terps won the regular season battle in Durham, 3-1, and lost 4-2 to the Blue Devils in the ACC Tournament. Duke went on to win the conference title.
• Junior Stephen King came up with a goal and an assist in the regular season victory last season against Duke. Sophomore keeper Chris Seitz stopped six shots in that match and junior Aki Kadotani added the final goal of the match.
• The Terps own a 39-19-3 record against Duke all-time.
Terps Tough Out Win Against Loyola
• Junior Maurice Edu notched his first goal of the season in the 61st minute to lead the Terps to a 1-0 victory against the Greyhounds on Tuesday night.
• Sophomore Graham Zusi took the ball down the right side of the pitch and delivered a long cross into the box. The pass found freshman Drew Yates on the left side of the box, who decided to head the cross towards the middle. Edu, who was making a run down the center, took the ball out of the air and headed home a shot into the right side to give the Terps the 1-0 edge.
• The Terps, who held possession in the offensive half of the field for almost the entire match, took 20 shots. Maryland also earned 11 corner kicks and did not allow Loyola a single one.
• Loyola set the tone of the match early with a multitude of fouls in the early going and it never waned as the Greyhounds racked up 28 fouls and eight yellow cards in trying to slow down the Terps' attack.
• Loyola was never able to get any sort of attack going until the waning minutes of the match. Up until then, a couple of crosses skipped harmlessly across the box in the second half. With a minute and a half left in the match, the Greyhounds earned a free kick on the right side of their offensive third. A pass was sent into the box, was knocked down, and eventually cleared by the Terps' back line.
Zusi Named Soccer America Player Of The Week
• Sophomore forward Graham Zusi continues to add to his list of honors for his performance last week as he was named the Soccer America Player of the Week. Zusi was also named the ACC Co-Player of the Week and College Soccer News and Top Drawer Soccer placed him on their respective national teams of the week. Zusi tallied both game-winning goals in the Terps' wins against Penn State and No. 7 Wake Forest last week.
• Zusi has tallied a point in each of the Terps' last four matches. He recorded a goal against NC State, a goal and an assist against Penn State, a goal at Wake Forest, and an assist against Loyola.
Scouting the Blue Devils
• Duke comes into the match at 7-1-1 and ranked No. 14 by the NSCAA. The Blue Devils have been top-five the entire season but a 1-0 loss at home to UNC Wilmington on September 19 dropped them in the rankings.
• The 2005 Blue Devils won the ACC Tournament after taking down Maryland and Virginia Tech. They beat North Carolina in a shootout after a scoreless tie in the finals. Duke then lost to Creighton 2-1 in their first action of the NCAA Tournament.
• Mike Grella, an All-ACC Freshman selection last season, entered the week tied for the lead in goals per game in the ACC at .78. He has seven goals and two assists for a team-high 16 points. He has also been the clutch guy for the Devils with an ACC best four game-winning goals.
• Spencer Wadsworth is tied for first in the ACC averaging .67 assists per game, which also ranks 10th in the nation. He has added four goals for 14 points.
• Michael Videira, a Hermann Trophy semifinalist in 2005, has also racked up over 10 points with five goals and three assists.
• Keeper Justin Papadakis has allowed seven goals in seven matches played but has also saved 23 shots, a .767 percentage.
Come One, Come All
• The returning national champion Terps have drawn quite a crowd at Ludwig Field and on the road this season.
• Against NC State, 4,565 fans came out to watch the Terps win 3-0. It was the third largest crowd in Ludwig history.
• On September 2, 4,020 fans came to Ludwig Field to watch the Terps defeat No. 10 UCLA, 4-1. Despite poor weather and the postponement of the match from the night before, it was then the fifth-largest crowd in Ludwig history.
• In all three of its away matches this year, attendance records have been set at the opponents' respective fields.
• At No. 23 Old Dominion on August 27, 3,331 spectators came out to watch the Monarchs battle the Terps. Maryland came out on top, 2-0. That was the largest crowd to ever see a collegiate soccer match at the ODU Soccer Stadium.
• At No. 4 Clemson on Friday night, 6,821 people flocked to Historic Riggs Field for the ACC showdown that the Tigers won, 2-1. That was the largest crowd to ever see a regular season match at Riggs.
• The largest number of people to watch a match at the field was a crowd of over 8,000 when Clemson hosted the 1987 national championship which they won.
• At No. 7 Wake Forest, 4,413 people showed up as the Terps knocked off the Deacons, 2-1, in come-from-behind fashion. That set the all-time Spry Stadium record.
Quick Hits
• The Terps have struck early in the half frequently, six times within the first five minutes to be exact, and all the goals came in Terp wins. Following is a list of the goals:
Graham Zusi 2:05 (First) Old Dominion
Rich Costanzo :30 (Second) Binghamton
Jeremy Hall 1:16 (Second) UCLA
Jason Herrick 2:33 (Second) Mount St. Mary's
A.J. Godbolt 4:33 (First) NC State
Graham Zusi 3:51 (First) Penn State
Where It's At..
• Maryland will play 13 home matches this regular season, the most in program history. The Terps played 12 matches at home in 1982.
• Home is where the Terps like to play. Over the past four seasons, Maryland is 55-3-3 at Ludwig Field, including an unbeaten mark of 11-0-2 in 2005. In 2002, the Terps went a perfect 13-0.
• Included in that impressive record is the Terps' 10-0-2 mark in the postseason at Ludwig which has helped UM reach four consecutive College Cups. The Terps are the eighth team in NCAA history to participate in four straight College Cups.
• For the second-straight season, Maryland averaged over 2,000 fans per match in 2005. An average of 2,548 fans rocked Ludwig Field when the Terps took the pitch. 2004 was the first season since 1995 which Maryland averaged over 2,000 fans.
• So far this season, Maryland is a perfect 7-0 at home and is averaging 2,792 fans a game.
Something's Gotta Give
• The Terps are a perfect 7-0 at Ludwig Field this season.
• Duke is 2-0 on the road so far this year with a 4-3 win at Wake Forest and a 2-1 win at Harvard.
No Offense, But...
• The Terps defense has been strong throughout the season. In their current five-game win streak, Maryland has earned four shutouts and allowed just one goal.
• In their first 10 matches, the Terps have notched six shutouts. The best mark in that category through 10 games is seven, achieved by the 2003 squad. This is the seventh time in program history that a team has pitched six clean sheets in the first 10 games and the third time under Cirovski.
• In the most recent outing against Loyola, the Greyhounds weren't even able to get off a shot in the entire match. The Loyola attack entered the box on a few crosses at the end of the game, but otherwise, was harmless.
• In their current win streak, the back line has allowed just 29 shots, an average of 5.8 per match, and only 11 have been on target.
• Entering the week, the Terps were tied for first in the ACC in goals allowed (5) and second in goals against average (.56).
Royal Company
• Head coach Sasho Cirovski will soon enter some outstanding company when it comes to Maryland soccer.
• WIth 196 wins, Cirovski is four wins from earning his 200th victory while with the Terps. The only other head coach to accomplish that feat was the program's first coach, Doyle Royal.
• Royal had a 217-58-18 record with Maryland in 28 years at the helm.
• Cirovski already matched Royal in one department, and that is the national championship. Royal coached the Terps to a perfect 1968 season at 14-0-1, earning a share of the national title.
Non-Conference Dominance
• The Terps have been impressive against non-league foes since the 2001 season, compiling a 73-17-4 record. Five of those losses came in a 10-5 2001 campaign.
• Maryland is off to a 7-0 start this season. Its best non-conference record during the span came in 2003 when the Terps went 15-2-1.
Zusi As 1-2-3
• Sophomore Graham Zusi, who scored five goals and added two assists in 2005, is having a break out season for the Terps.
• Zusi leads the team with six goals and is tied for the team lead with 14 points. He has recorded a point in four-straight contests.
• Last week in wins against Penn State and No. 7 Wake Forest, Zusi tallied both game-winning goals. Against the Nittany Lions, he scored a brilliant goal in the fourth minute that proved to be the game winner in a 2-0 affair.
• After receiving a pass from Hall on the right side, Zusi blasted a shot from 25 yards out. The Nittany Lion keeper could only watch as the perfectly placed shot nailed the left side netting. He then went on to assist freshman Jason Herrick on the second goal of the game.
• In a thrilling 2-1 win at No. 7 Wake Forest, Zusi connected on a penalty kick in the 85th minute to give the Terps the important conference win. Zusi fired a shot to the top left corner and beat Brian Edwards, who had guessed correctly. The goal capped an amazing come-from-behind win for Maryland, which scored the equalizer in the 79th minute on a goal from freshman Jeremy Hall.
• For his efforts, Zusi was named Soccer America Player of the Week, Co-ACC Player of the Week, and was also placed on the College Soccer News National Team of the Week and the Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week.
Hall's Way
• Freshman Jeremy Hall also played a key role in the Terps' two victories last week. He scored a goal and assisted on two others.
• Hall notched the equalizer in the 79th minute at No. 7 Wake Forest to begin Maryland's comeback win. Stephen King found Maurice Edu in the middle of the field who then sent a long pass to Hall who had plenty of open space in front of him. Hall took the ball and went one-on-one with Edwards and calmly sent a low shot to the right side that beat the keeper.
• Hall was also involved in the game-winning goal as he forced the foul in the box that led to Graham Zusi's winning penalty kick. David Glaudemans found Hall in the offensive third. Hall tried to take the ball the rest of the way with a defender on him. The two reached the box, and Hall was taken down trying to get by the defender.
• Hall was named to the Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week along with Zusi.
King Of College Park
• Junior Stephen King had an assist at Wake Forest to earn his sixth of the season to go along with four goals. His six assists and 14 points lead the team.
• King has been a part of six game-winning or go-ahead goals this season. His two game-winning goals were scored against UCLA and Louisville. He has also assisted the go-ahead goals against Binghamton, UCLA, Louisville, and NC State.
• He was also crucial in the Terps win against No. 7 Wake Forest as he assisted on the Jeremy Hall goal that tied the game in the 79th minute.
• King has been named ACC Player of the Week, College Soccer News National Player of the Week, and has been placed on the Soccer America Team of the Week twice this season.
Herr-o-ick
• With some doubts about where scoring would come from prior to the season, freshman Jason Herrick has provided an answer. His five goals is second on the team and his 12 points is third.
• Herrick has been a part of two game winning goals, assisting the one against UCLA and scoring it against Mount St. Mary's. He also scored the first goal of the match against UCLA.
• Against NC State, Herrick scored his fourth goal in amazing fashion when he launched a shot into the top left corner from about 30 yards out. The keeper had no chance at stopping the perfectly placed shot.
A Little Help From Godbolt
• Senior A.J. Godbolt has played a key role not only this season, but for his entire career. Regarded as the best crosser on the team, Godbolt has three assists and a game winning goal that he notched against NC State.
• His 22 career assists ranks sixth all-time, tied with Jason Sardis and A.J. Herrera. Scott Buete stands in fifth with 24 career helpers.
• Last season, Godbolt was one assist away from tying the single-season record of 14 held by Gino Ferrin (1985).
• Godbolt recorded his first-ever game-winning goal when he put back a Stephen King penalty kick that had been saved against NC State.
Near Perfect Seitz
• Sophomore goalkeeper Chris Seitz has compiled an impressive 22-2-2 record for the Terps since last season.
• Before losing at Clemson, Seitz had not lost since November 11 of last season against Duke in the ACC Tournament, 4-2. Since that match, Seitz holds an impressive record of 13-1-1.
• Seitz and the Terps defense have been strong so far this season. Seitz has allowed just five shots to reach the back of the net for a 0.50 goals against average. He also owns a save percentage of .800 and has six clean sheets.
Newcomers Making An Impact
• With a relatively young squad, Terps newcomers are making a major impact as two of the top five scorers are new to College Park.
• Freshman Jason Herrick has been stellar for Maryland with five goals and two assists.
• Sophomore Rich Costanzo, a transfer from Penn State, has an assist to go with his game winning goal against Binghamton.
• Freshman Jeremy Hall has recorded four goals and two assists.
• Freshmen Omar Gonzalez has one assist and Drew Yates has racked up four.
• Newcomers have accounted for 30 of the Terps' 69 points, which comes out to 43 percent.
• Their 30 points almost doubles the amount all of the opposition has racked up this season (16).
To Be The Best...
• You have to beat the best. Maryland will play seven teams ranked in the NSCAA/adidas preseason top-25 to give great experience to its young squad.
• Four of those matches feature ACC opponents on the road. The Terps will battle No. 4 Virginia on October 11, No. 5 North Carolina on October 6, No. 5 Clemson on September 8, and No. 16 Wake Forest on September 23. UCLA was the highest preseason ranked team to visit College Park when it brought its No. 10 ranking to Ludwig Field on September 2.
• Current record against the NSCAA/adidas top 25: 3-1 (won at No. 23 Old Dominion; beat No. 10 UCLA; lost at No. 4 Clemson; won at No. 7 Wake Forest)
