COLLEGE PARK, MD — The unbeaten No. 8 Maryland Terrapins are special this season. Head coach
Sasho Cirovski has repeatedly said he has one of his best squads. The Terps (8-0-3, 4-0-2 Big Ten) continued to prove him right with a 2-0 win over No. 13 Rutgers (8-3-2, 3-2-1 Big Ten) at Ludwig Field on Tuesday night that pushed their undefeated start to the season to 11 matches — the program's best mark since 2017.
In the blink of an eye, the Terps lit up the scoreboard. Stephane Njike scored his second game-winning goal of the season to start the night's scoring. Just 4:37 later, Joseph Umberto Picotto doubled the lead with his first goal as a Terp, putting Maryland in a prime position to win its eighth match of the season and take control of first place in the Big Ten standings.
The first half featured a battle for possession and 11 shots as Maryland goalkeeper Laurin Mack made a pair of important saves. Still, Maryland had several scoring opportunities and it felt like only a matter of time until a Terp broke through.
Njike did so, drilling home a wide-open look for his team-leading fifth goal of the year in the 56th minute on feeds from Umberto Picotto and Chris Steinleitner.
Minutes later, Umberto Picotto found the back of the net after a beautiful setup from Njike and Tristen Rose to put Maryland ahead 2-0 in the 60th minute.
The Terps defense held strong in the closing minutes to preserve the ninth shutout of Mack's career and give Maryland back-to-back wins over ranked opponents for the first time since 2022.
How it Happened:
- Rutgers recorded the match's first shot in the fourth minute, prompting Mack to make his first save of the night.
- Maryland fought off the first corner of the night in the 12th minute as Mack made his second save.
- Albi Ndrenika recorded the Terps' first shot in the 13th minute to force a Rutgers save.
- Lasse Kelp rang a shot off the post in the 18th minute, nearly putting Maryland on the board.
- The Terps were awarded their first corner in the 19th minute.
- Maryland put a pair of shots on net during a good look in the 19th minute.
- Ndrenika had a shot blocked in the 24th minute.
- Maryland blocked a Rutgers shot in the final seconds of the first half.
- Mack made a huge save in the 47th minute.
- Maryland earned a yellow card in the 53rd minute.
- Njike scored (5) in the 56th minute on assists from Umberto Picotto (1) and Steinleitner (2)
- Umberto Picotto doubled the lead in the 60th minute as Njike (3) and Rose (1) earned assists.
- Maryland fought off a Rutgers corner in the 66th minute.
- Rutgers made another save on Ndrenika in the 75th minute.
- Mack preserved the shutout with his fifth save in the 87th minute.
- Rutgers earned a yellow card in the 89th minute.
Numbers to Know:
- 0: Maryland is yet to allow a goal against a ranked opponent this season in three wins.
- 1: Umberto Picotto recorded his first goal and assist as a Terp while Rose picked up his first assist of the season.
- 2: The Terps have won back-to-back matches over ranked opponents for the first time since 2022 (2-1 wins over No. 14 Marshall and No. 9 New Hampshire).
- 3: Maryland defeated its third-ranked opponent of the season.
- 3: The Terps haven't allowed a goal in their last three matches.
- 6: Mack has posted six shutouts in 2025.
- 8: The Terps are now 8-0-2 when they score first in a game.
- 9: Mack posted the ninth shutout of his career.
- 11: The Terps are unbeaten through 11 matches for the first time since 2017 (8-0-3).
- 13: Maryland improves to 13-4-2 all-time against Rutgers.
- 13: Njike's three-point night pushed his team-leading point total to 13.
Criovski's Birthday Win:
- "I think you're seeing a team with a great sense of pride in the way that we compete, and you're seeing it on the defensive side of the ball."
- "That's a really good Rutgers team and they have some really good attacking players. We made some plays back there. Laruin made a couple of really important saves and we blocked some shots."
- "We're not worried about streaks or stretches, and we've just got to get ready for the next game. We'll try to make sure we get the minds and bodies ready for an important match at Ohio State."
- "Mack's really confident in his abilities, but also in the team in front of him. I think you're seeing a goalkeeper that has settled into a really good zone right now."
Mack's Marvelous Night:
- "I feel like the most special thing is playing in Ludwig under the lights."
- "I feel like the team effort, especially defensively, was great today."
- "Defensively, we are very strong with our center backs. We're doing a great job keeping the ball out the net."
- "Defenitly a group effort."
Up Next:
- Maryland takes to the road for a contest with Ohio State on Oct. 18. The match will start at 12 PM and air on BTN.
