Notebook: Men's soccer avoids repeating history vs. Penn State

Late in the first half of Sunday's NCAA Tournament match against Penn State, the Terrapin men's soccer team appeared as if it might be headed down a foreboding path.

The situation — a shutout featuring a struggling Terp offense and an aggressive Nittany Lion counterattack — had set up similarly to the three games this season the Terps didn't win.

But unlike their matches against Michigan State, Boston College and North Carolina in September, the Terps managed to hold strong in the back. With a late goal by defender Taylor Kemp, the Terps (19-2-1) advanced to the quarterfinals in a game they may have lost earlier in the season.

"We were hitting the crossbar, getting the ball out wide — we were doing almost everything but really putting the kind of pressure on the goalkeeper that we thought we could have done in preparation," coach Sasho Cirovski said. "That's soccer."

For the second time in the past three games, the Terps' offense finished with an unusual statistic. Against North Carolina in the ACC Championship on Nov. 14, the Terps didn't record a single shot in the second half. Sunday against the Nittany Lions, the Terps didn't put a single shot on goal until Kemp's score in the 87th minute.

"I think we lost our composure," forward Casey Townsend said.

Penn State did its part, disrupting the attack by stretching the field with counterattacks.

"We didn't do a good job at compacting things on their long, quick counters," Cirovski said. "We really wanted to condense the space between the forwards and our backs."

"When we're compact," Cirovski added, "we're usually better than most teams."

INJURY REPORT

At this point last season, the Terps limped into the NCAA Tournament hampered by injuries throughout their starting lineup.

Midfielder Doug Rodkey had broken a bone in his foot, defender Alex Lee was out after being hit by a car, and midfielder Matt Kassel was playing through a torn hip labrum.

This season, the Terps have been fortunate to avoid the same plague of injuries. Among the team's regular contributors, only defender London Woodberry and reserve forward Matt Oduaran have not played this postseason due to injuries.

Woodberry (quadriceps), who has not played since Oct. 19, had won the starting position at right back. Since his injury, midfielder Billy Cortes and defender Greg Young have split duty, with Young starting the past three.

Oduaran (dislocated left kneecap) has not played since the team's Nov. 2 game against William and Mary. Though he doesn't start, Oduaran usually enters as a substitute near the end of the first half and midway through the second half to give starting forwards Townsend and Jason Herrick a break.

Both Woodberry and Oduaran dressed Sunday, but neither played.

MACMATH HONORED

Even with the loss of Woodberry, the Terp defense is still putting together a record-breaking season. The team tied a program record with 15 shutouts and has not given up a goal in more than 430 minutes.

Clemson is the only team in the past nine matches to beat goalkeeper Zac MacMath, while the Terps lead the country in shutouts.

MacMath is also starting to pile up honors. After earning first-team All-ACC honors, the junior was named the ACC Tournament's Most Valuable Player. He also made TopDrawerSoccer.com's national first team.

Most impressively, though, MacMath is one of five finalists for the U.S. Soccer Young Male Athlete of the Year award, and one of only two playing college soccer. Past winners of the award include Jozy Altidore, Landon Donovan and DaMarcus Beasley — all members of the U.S. National Team.

"I'm very grateful to be selected as a finalist for such a prestigious award," MacMath said. "Representing my country has always been something special to me, and it really is an honor to be named among such great players."

ceckard@umbk.com