Dec. 31, 2008
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
Top Ten Maryland Men's Soccer Moments in 2008
10. Sweet Revenge - Maryland defeats California, 2-1, in NCAA Sweet Sixteen
After falling in dramatic fashion in the round-of-16 for the past two seasons, Maryland finally cleared the dreaded hurdle in 2008, dropping Cal, 2-1, Nov. 29 at Ludwig Field.
9. Cirovski Sets All-Time Wins Record
The year 2008 represented head coach Sasho Cirovski's 16th season at the helm of the famed Maryland men's soccer program. The Terps defeated Duke in front of 6,083 Sept. 19 at Ludwig Field to give Cirovski his 218th win, surpassing long-time head coach Doyle Royal.
8. Ludwig Field Gets a New Attendance Record
Despite falling to Wake Forest, 4-2, on a dreary, rainy September day, a capacity crowd of 6,500 braved the elements to witness the No. 1 v. No. 2 showdown. The contest, which was also shown live on the Fox Soccer Channel, was one of only three losses for Maryland all-season long and its only loss at the heralded Ludwig Field.
7. Terps Slide Past Cavaliers, Secure 2nd Seed in ACC Tournament
In a heated match in Charlottesville, Va., where three yellow and three red cards were issued, Maryland came out on the winning side, dropping UVA, 2-1, on Halloween night to secure an important number two seed in the ACC Tournament. Jeremy Hall and Graham Zusi each scored to lead the Maryland charge.
6. Maryland Upset at Clemson
Ok, stick with me here. Would it not have been for the drastic wake-up call in South Carolina, where the Terrapin defense surrendered three goals in ninety seconds, it can be argued that the unit would not have come together as it did for the remainder of the season. After all, the Terps gave up only six more goals to end the season on a 16-game winning streak.
5. Terps Ink Nation's Top Recruiting Class
While the Terps did benefit from having the most returners since its run to the national championship in 2005, Maryland's remarkable 2008 may have been improbable if not for a solid stable of freshmen, including All-ACC Freshman team honorees Zac MacMath, Casey Townsend and Matt Kassel.
4. Maryland Tops UCLA in Overtime
Sophomore Sean Flatley tied the game at 1-1 with 45 seconds remaining and Rodney Wallace nailed the game-winner to lift Maryland over UCLA, 2-1, at The Home Depot Center. The game opened up the season for both squads and was broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel, one of six televised contests for the Terps in '08.
3. Zusi Pushes Terps to NCAA Finals, Lands on Sportscenter Top Ten
Senior Graham Zusi was credited with arguably the finest goal in college soccer this season, scoring on a penalty kick in double overtime as Maryland defeated St. John's, 1-0, in the semifinals of the 50th Men's Soccer College Cup.
2. Maryland Wins Third ACC Championship
The Terrapin defense continued its dominance, pacing Maryland to three consecutive shutouts en route to the program's third ACC Tournament Championship. The Terps ousted Virginia, 1-0, courtesy of an early goal from tournament MVP Jeremy Hall. In addition to Hall, Omar Gonzalez, Casey Townsend and Zac MacMath all landed on the all-tournament team.
1. CHAMPS AGAIN! Maryland captures NCAA National Championship
After playing in its longest contest of the year 36 hours earlier, Maryland disposed of North Carolina for the third occasion this season, this time on college soccer's biggest stage, defeating the Tar Heels, 1-0, to win the 2008 NCAA Men's Soccer National Championship. The title was the third for the Maryland program and its second in the last four seasons.
Honorable Mention:
Terps Dominate Creighton to advance to College Cup
Olympic Terps: Robbie Rogers, Maurice Edu and Chris Seitz represent U.S.A. in Beijing
