COLLEGE PARK, MD – No. 6 Maryland men's soccer extended its unbeaten streak to 12 games with its 1-1 draw against No. 19 UCLA on Senior Night at Ludwig Field on Monday.
The Terps are 8-0-4 during their run and remain undefeated in conference action. Their streak rivals their 2017 streak, which started the season with a 13-game unbeaten run. Overall, Maryland is 8-1-5 and 5-0-2 in Big Ten play this season.
The top-20 conference match began with a goal by junior forward Sadam Masereka in the 25th minute. He strategically placed the ball between the legs of the UCLA goalkeeper on its way through the back of the net. Albi Ndrenika and William Kulvik were credited with the assist on the play.
The goal for Masereka, an offseason transfer from Lindsey Wilson of the NAIA level, was his third of the season. Each score has come in his last four games, and he now has goals in back-to-back contests. The Terps are 6-0-3 on the season when scoring first.
UCLA (6-3-5, 3-2-3 Big Ten) responded with a goal in the 56th minute by Tamir Ratoviz. Neither team was able to net the go-ahead goal.
Goalkeeper Laurin Mack made four saves. The Terps held advantages in shots (12-8) and corner kicks (6-4).
Cirovski On His Team's Performance
"I thought we played very well for a good portion of the first half and were able to score a terrific goal," head coach
Sasho Cirovski said. "I thought we also started pretty brightly in the first 10-15 minutes of the second half. And then I think we started to turn the ball over a little bit. I thought UCLA raised their quality a little bit and had some chances. At the end of the day, probably a fair result."
The XI
Breaking Down The Action
- Maryland's first shot attempt occurred in the fourth minute from Leon Koehl. Albi Ndrenika sent a pass he tried to put behind the near post, but it missed high.
- Laurin Mack made his first save in the sixth minute. Mack made a diving stop on a shot to the bottom left of the net.
- The Terps rattled off back-to-back shots in the eighth and 11th minutes from Max Rogers and Bjarne Thiesen. Rogers' was blocked, and Thiesen's was high.
- Ndrenika sent a pass forward to Sadam Masereka, and he put the Terps ahead, 1-0, in the 25th minute with a shot between the legs of UCLA's goalie.
- The Terps chalked up another shot in the 31st minute from Rogers, but UCLA's goalie made a save at the top center of the net.
- The Bruins ended the half with two more shots in the 32nd and 33rd minutes. The first was blocked, and the second missed left.
- Maryland opened the second half with back-to-back shots by Rogers and Colin Griffith in the 49th minute, but both were blocked.
- UCLA tied the game at 1-1 with a goal in the 56th minute by Tamir Ratoviz.
- The Bruins had a clean opportunity at an empty net as Mack tried to block off a pass with a sliding stop. However, the shot was blocked and landed in Mack's hands in the 75th minute.
- Maryland had two clean opportunities to net the go-ahead goal in the 77th and 78th minutes. The UCLA goalkeeper blocked Matias De Jesus and Masereka's shot attempts.
- Neither team was able to net the go-ahead goal.
Senior Night Celebration
Numbers To Know
- 0: Maryland remains undefeated in Big Ten play this season.
- 3: Sadam Masereka scored his third goal of the season, each occurring in his four games.
- 4: Albi Ndrenika ranks second on the team with four assists.
- 6: Maryland is ranked No. 6 in the nation, according to the DI Men's Soccer United Soccer Coaches Rankings.
- 6: Maryland is 6-0-3 when scoring first this season.
- 6: Maryland leads the all-time series against UCLA with a record of 6-5-2
- 12: The Terps extend their unbeaten streak to 12 games.
Up Next
- The Terps begin a two-game road trip starting with No. 18 Michigan on Oct. 25. The match begins at 7 p.m. and airs on Big Ten Plus.
