COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Mael Corboz scored on a top-shelf, free kick from 25 yards to give the University of Maryland its first-ever Big Ten Tournament championship with a 2-1 victory against Indiana Sunday at Ludwig Field.
The Terps (13-5-3) won their third-straight conference title on Maryland soil after capturing the 2012 and 2013 Atlantic Coast Conference tournament crowns in Germantown. Maryland will bring an 11-game unbeaten streak into the NCAA Men's Soccer Tournament when the bracket is announced Monday at 1 p.m.
Freshman Christoffer Wallander-Ianev also scored for the Terps, notching his first career goal in the 42nd minute after earning a start for injured redshirt senior Jereme Raley.
Wallander-Ianev's tally gave the Terps an early cushion when he corralled a loose ball that was unsuccessfully cleared by the Indiana defense, scoring from 10 yards for the 1-0 lead. Mikey Ambrose's serve into the box bounced around before Chris Odoi-Atsem knocked it down towards Wallander-Ianev, who put on the finishing touch for the goal.
Indiana answered in the 64th minute on an unfortunate play for the Terps. An attempted clear by Maryland went awry and sent the ball whizzing past Maryland goalkeeper Zack Steffen for the own goal equalizer.
But it would be Corboz who would save the day for the Terrapins, stepping up for a game-changing free kick attempt with less than five minutes to play. The junior First Team All-Big Ten selection beat IU's Colin Webb with a top-shelf beauty, reminiscent of Graham Zusi's game-winning goal in the 2008 national semifinals.
“First of all, I'm incredibly happy and proud of our team today. Indiana came to play. They played very aggressive and competed hard…exactly what you would expect of a championship caliber program and team,” head coach Sasho Cirovski said. “We weathered the storm a little bit I think through some fatigue. But we found a way to get a goal and get some momentum going into halftime. I thought it was a very even game. Our goal was opportunistic. Their goal was opportunistic. And then for us to get the game-winner on a spectacular goal by Mael [Corboz], makes you feel good because it was worthy of a championship winner today.”
Steffen made a season-high six saves after posting two critical penalty kick stops in Friday's semifinal against Michigan State. The Terps have allowed only seven goals in the last 11 matches.
Sunday's championship is Maryland's 31st conference title overall and seventh tournament crown. Corboz and Steffen earned Big Ten Tournament Offensive and Defensive Most Valuable Player honors, respectively. Ambrose, Odoi-Atsem and Dan Metzger were also named to the all-tournament team.
