A rare poor performance

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Things like what happened Friday night don't happen to the Terrapin men's soccer team. The Terps' 3-0 NCAA quarterfinal loss to Virginia was a humbling performance, one that proved how even the mightiest programs can be exposed when the goal is national championship or bust every season.

The Terps' attempt to defend their national title was effectively over when forward Jason Herrick failed to convert a penalty kick in the 66th minute with the team trailing 2-0.

Cavalier forward Tony Tchani sliced through the Terp midfield to set up a third goal in the 78th minute that just emphasized Virginia's superiority.

During the final 10 minutes, Terp coach Sasho Cirovski paced the sidelines with his arms crossed and head down, probably trying to analyze what went wrong.

Besides an approximately 20-minute stretch after the Cavaliers' first-half goal, Virginia dominated the game. That's something you can't say many teams have done to the Terps in such a big game, at least recently.

The reasons were numerous and certainly nothing to be ashamed of, considering Cirovski's team lost six starters from last year's 23-3 squad. But afterward, the Terps' faces showed the emotional toll of not living up to their lofty standards and hinted at the shocking nature of their defeat.

Cirovski, while proud of his team, started his postgame press conference with a deliberate rundown of the things the Terps didn't do.

Forward Casey Townsend missed two quality scoring opportunities in the first half.

Defender London Woodberry failed to clear a Virginia cross in the 59th minute, which led to the Cavaliers' second goal. The Terps "lacked the quality in the [attacking] third," and their midfield was too fatigued to keep up with a faster, more physical group.

Seniors Kevin Tangney and Drew Yates sat at the table with Cirovski, having each finished his final season on a disappointing note. Tangney said he would come back next year and offer any help he could to get the Terps back on top.

A.J. Delagarza and Omar Gonzalez, two stars of the Terps' championship run in 2008, now in MLS, were in attendance Friday, showing the type of alumni support Tangney spoke of.

The Terps could have used their calm and collected demeanor on the back line Friday, but throughout the season, Cirovski never used inexperience as an excuse.

That's not how he operates. His goal is to win everything every year.

But with such high stakes, that inexperience was glaring.

For the loss to come to Virginia, undeniably the Terps' biggest rival in a conference full of top-caliber programs, made it that much harder to stomach.

Bruce Arena, Cirovski's nemesis from when he coached the Cavaliers to four consecutive titles in the early '90s, stood in the press box with a smile when he wasn't taking photos with jubilant Virginia fans below. Whether he was happy his former program was heading back to the College Cup, he took some pleasure in seeing his former rival go down or both, we'll never know.

There's certainly a great deal of mutual respect and admiration between the two coaches. Arena, now the coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy, wouldn't have selected both Delagarza and Gonzalez in last year's MLS SuperDraft if that weren't the case.

Regardless, Cirovski made it clear how disappointing the night was, in only the way he could.

When asked how long he'll dwell on the game, Cirovski paused and pursed his lips.

"This game will sit with me," Cirovski said, "until we win the next championship."

akraut@umdbk.com