Sept. 13, 2009

Game Notes
Ticket Information | Listen Live on WMUC

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - After picking up its first ACC win of the season Friday night, the No. 7 Maryland men's soccer team returns to non-conference action Tuesday with a match against Duquesne at 7:30 p.m. at Ludwig Field.

Maryland (2-1) tallied its first shutout of the year Friday night against Boston College. Jason Herrick scored his team-high third goal in the seventh minute and fellow captain Kevin Tangney headed home his first career goal in the 75th minute to lead the Terps offensively.

Tuesday's match, which will conclude Maryland's four-game homestand to start the year, pins the defending national champions against a Duquesne squad that is 2-2-1 to begin the year. The Dukes went 1-0-1 in its home tournament this weekend with a win against Manhattan and a tie versus Bowling Green.

Tickets for Tuesday's contest are $8 for adults, $5 for seniors and children and free for students. The game will be broadcast live via WMUCSports.com.

SEASON SNAPSHOT
• After establishing the `Gold Standard' in 2008 with an NCAA National Championship, an ACC Tournament title and a school-record 23 wins and 15 shutouts, the Terps have a tall task ahead to repeat the kind of success they achieved just a year ago.
• However, with a core of returners including All-ACC honorees Zac MacMath, Matt Kassel and Casey Townsend, solid leadership from a talented group of upperclassmen, and a promising nationally-ranked recruiting class, there are plenty of reasons to believe the 2009 Terps will reach the College Cup and beyond.
• MacMath returns to goal after a spectacular freshman season where he led the nation in goals against average (0.44). He also tied a Maryland program-record with 12 shutouts and ran off a streak of 19 consecutive wins after losing his collegiate debut to California.
• The biggest question mark for the Terps this season will be the backline. After being depleted by the graduation of three-year starter Rich Costanzo and the departures of All-American Omar Gonzalez, Rodney Wallace and A.J. Delagarza to the MLS, Cirovski will rely heavily on a young, fresh crop of defenders in 2009. The refurbished backline will, however, profit from the experience of Kevin Tangney as an anchor.
• The midfield, along with the forward corps, should be strong units for Maryland in 2009. The Terps return seniors Doug Rodkey and Drew Yates along with sophomores Kassel and Kaoru Forbess, to the midfield.
• Maryland is thrilled to return both of its starters at the forward position as junior Jason Herrick and Townsend are poised for their second season working together up front. The duo combined for 15 goals last season.

SCOUTING THE DUKES...
• Duquesne, members of the Atlantic 10 conference, rolls into College Park Tuesday with a 2-2-1 record.
• The Dukes played host to the Duquesne Invitational this past weekend and went 1-0-1 in the tournament for a second place finish.
• Duquesne dropped Manhattan, 1-0, on Friday and took Bowling Green to a 0-0 stalemate on Saturday.
• Joshua Patterson leads the way with two goals in 2009 while Ben Horner paces the Dukes with two assists. In goal, Duquesne has used a `keeper by committee' approach this season with Colin Thorp and Chris Torres splitting time.
• Maryland is 1-0 in its meeting against Duquesne.

CIROVSKI RETURNS FOR 17th SEASON
• Head coach Sasho Cirovski is in his 17th season at the helm of the storied Maryland men's soccer program and his 19th overall.
• Cirvoski's resume is nothing short of impressive, possessing a 238-103-20 record with the Terps, with a pair of national championships, 14 NCAA appearances, three ACC Tournament championships, six appearances in the College Cup, and 15-straight winning seasons.
• He became the winningest head coach in Maryland men's soccer history last season, passing long-time coach Doyle Royal.

THE GOLD STANDARD
• Maryland established several school-records on its way to the national title last season including wins (23) and shutouts (15) in a season as well as a program-best 16-game winning streak.

ACC- THE BEST OF THE BEST
• Last year's College Cup was filled to the brim with ACC squads as North Carolina, Wake Forest and Maryland advanced to the final four in Frisco, Texas.
• Known as the premier soccer conference in the nation, the ACC appears to be tough once again in 2009 with six teams ranked in the top 25 of the NSCAA/adidas poll.
• Maryland will play host to North Carolina in a rematch of the 2008 title game on Sept. 25. The game will be televised live on Fox Soccer Channel.

HOME SWEET LUDWIG
• Maryland ranked fifth in the nation in 2008 in attendance, averaging 2,545 per game.
• Ludwig Field already got a new attendance record as 6,718 fans came out for the Terps' season opener against UCLA. The night was electric with an array of Under Armour events and the welcoming back to College Park of the defending national champions.
• This season, Ludwig Field has grown an additional 500 seats for a total capacity of 7,000.

TERPS IN THE PROS
• The Terps lost eight letterwinners from a year ago, including five that were drafted in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft.
• Maryland, for only the second time ever in MLS history, had three players selected in the first round, including Omar Gonzalez (3rd - L.A. Galaxy), Rodney Wallace (6th - D.C. United) and Jeremy Hall (11th - New York Red Bulls).
• Joining the three Generation adidas players are departed seniors A.J. Delagarza, who was nabbed by the Galaxy with the 19th pick and College Cup Most Outstanding Player Graham Zusi, who landed in Kansas City after being selected 23rd overall.

OFFENSIVE RETURNS
• Maryland returns 42 percent of its scoring last season including Casey Townsend, who was second on the team with 11 goals in 2008. The vast majority of the set-up men return as Doug Rodkey and Matt Kassel, who ranked first and second, respectively, in assists, will be back in the starting lineup in 2009.

ANOTHER MILESTONE LOOMING
• The Maryland men's soccer program is two wins shy of reaching the 600 mark and boasts a 598-299-77 record overall and 165-117-21 in conference play.

KEEPING THE STREAK ALIVE
• Maryland has several streaks they look to continue in 2009.
• The program has had 15 consecutive winning seasons in addition to making seven-straight Sweet 16 appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
• In total, Maryland has been to 14 consecutive NCAA Tournaments while advancing to the final four in six of the last eight seasons.

WELCOME ROOKIES
• Once again, Cirovski and his staff have compiled a top tier recruiting class, earning a No. 2-ranking by both Soccer America and College Soccer News.
• The ten-player class is highlighted by three NSCAA All-Americans, including Taylor Kemp, Jordan Cyrus and London Woodberry, along with international standouts Widner Saint Cyr and Gonzalo Frechilla.
• The tandem of Kemp and fellow freshman Ethan White have played every minute since their arrival to College Park.

TOWNSEND GARNERS PRESEASON AWARD
• Maryland forward Casey Townsend was tabbed to the Soccer America Presason All-America Second Team.
• The Traverse City, Mich., native, was named an All-ACC Freshman Team selection in 2008.

FRESHMEN NO MORE
• If Maryland hopes to be successful this season, it will rely heavily on the continued progress of its coveted sophomore class.
• Zac MacMath returns in goal after a tremendous freshman campaign. The U-20 national team product led the nation in goals against average (0.44). He will face the only team that's been able to beat him at Maryland when the Terps battle California on Sunday, Sept. 6.
• Matt Kassel will look to improve in the midfield and joins now-healthy classmate Kaoru Forbess
. • Casey Townsend, who ranked second on the squad in scoring with 11 goals, aims to have another stellar season in 2009.
• Other sophomores looking to make an impact include Alex Lee, who has moved from striker to defense this season, and forward Matt Oduaran, who spent time with the U-20 Nigerian national team this summer.

ANTICIPATED STARTERS

MARYLAND
Forwards
#9 Jason Herrick - Jr.
#11 Casey Townsend - So.

Midfield
#23 Kaoru Forbess - So.
#5 Doug Rodkey - S.r
#10 Drew Yates - Sr.
#8 Matt Kassel - So.

Defense
#2 Taylor Kemp - Fr.
#4 Ethan White - Fr.
#15 Kevin Tagney - Sr.
#18 Alex Lee - So.

Goalkeeper
#1 Zac MacMath - So.

DUQUESNE
GK 1 Thorp, Colin
4 Waugh, Jamie
5 Trujillo, Alex
6 Patrizio, Derek
9 Lundberg, Stefan
10 Groves, Matthew
11 Tompkins, Tyler
12 Horner, Ben
17 Clement, Adam
20 Stabbe, Gavin
24 Patterson, Joshua

THE `09 SLATE
• The Terps welcome 12 teams to Ludwig Field this season, including a four-game homestand to kick off the 2009 campaign.
• In total, the Terps will battle eight NCAA Tournament teams from last season, including three that Maryland defeated in postseason play en route to its second national title in four seasons.
• The schedule is highlighted by an opening weekend two-game homestand with West Coast foes UCLA and California on Sept. 4 and 6, respectively. Maryland faces North Carolina in a rematch of the 2008 national title game on Sept. 25 in front of a live television audience on Fox Soccer Channel. The Terps will take on ACC rivals Wake Forest on the road Oct. 24 before welcoming Virginia on Halloween night in College Park.

HERRICK LANDS NATIONAL HONOR
• After sparking Maryland to a 2-1 overtime win against No. 8 California, Jason Herrick was tabbed to the Top Drawer Soccer National Men's Team of the Week.
• Herrick scored both goals in the contest, including the game-winner in overtime in horrendous weather conditions.
• His two-goal performance ties a career-best after netting a pair at N.C. State last season.

LEADERS OF THE PACK
• Maryland's leadership this season has been responsible for all four goals.
• Jason Herrick and Kevin Tangney, co-captains of the 2009 squad, lead up top and in the backline, respectively, but both have made their way to scoresheet.
• Herrick has three goals this season and Tangney netted his first career goal against Boston College in the Terps' first ACC win.