UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – It had been a long time since Sasho Cirovski had to pack for a road trip this early in the postseason. But after living to pack another day following his Terrapin men’s soccer team’s 2-1 victory at Penn State on Sunday, another couple road trips for the coach wouldn’t hurt either.
“This was a new experience for us,” said Cirovski, who, before Sunday, had last arrived as the visitor in an NCAA Tournament game in 1997. That year, the Terps lost to American.
Sunday’s result was certainly better than that showing 12 years ago — and most of the Terps’ road performances this season. Before this weekend, nearly all of the success the Terps had enjoyed this season came within the touchline at Ludwig Field. After a season-opening loss to then-No. 19 UCLA, the Terps went undefeated in their last 12 home games, including a 2-1 win over Loyola (Md.) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday.
It was the Terps’ travel troubles, rather, that likely cost them a seed in the NCAA Tournament and, ultimately, made their triumph over the Nittany Lions that much more improbable. After going 2-4-1 away from College Park this season, the Terps managed to become the first team all year to emerge from Penn State’s Jeffrey Field victorious.
“We’re a team that continues to grow,” Cirovski said Sunday. “We showed our character today, and that’s what it takes when you go on the road.”
- YOUTH MOVEMENT
Entering this season, Taylor Kemp and Ethan White — the Terps’ tandem of starting freshman defenders — had already been reminded plenty of the experienced and formidable backline they were expected to replace. But London Woodberry, another freshman and a versatile defender/midfielder, had to deal with another matter entirely Sunday.
After crafty Penn State midfielder Matheus Braga had endlessly pressured the Terps on their right flank in the game’s opening minutes, Cirovski called on Woodberry in the 22nd minute to replace the usually solid Kwame Darko, who had trouble containing Braga from his right back position.
Though the Nittany Lions did not actually score until Woodberry entered the lineup, Braga’s influence waned considerably when he did. Woodberry’s lanky, athletic frame largely neutralized any probing runs from Braga, Penn State’s assists leader, which stemmed the Nittany Lions’ potent attack.
And although Woodberry physically looked the part of a freshman against Penn State’s burly and experienced frontline, the McKinney, Texas, native also flashed the savvy of a senior when the Terps needed it most.
With 10 minutes remaining in regulation and the score still tied, Nittany Lion forward Corey Hertzog slipped behind the Terp defense and headed for goal with the ball and, potentially, the game’s outcome at his feet. In an instant, Woodberry caught up to Hertzog and subtly tugged at his jersey, throwing the forward’s timing off just enough that his shot veered wide.
“Some people looked at it as a bad thing that we didn’t get a seed and we had to play [the first round against Loyola],” forward Jason Herrick said. “For all of our younger guys, they got a little taste of what it was like. ... They really stepped up today for us.”
- LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
If the Terps can advance to the NCAA Tournament’s quarterfinal round with a win over No. 10-seed Harvard this Sunday, they’ll likely journey to Charlottesville, Va., for what would be the Terps’ third game against Virginia this season.
That they might face another ACC team shouldn’t be surprising. Six of the 16 teams remaining in the NCAA Tournament hail from the conference, and all could potentially play a league foe in the coming weeks.
In addition to the Terps and Cavaliers, Duke plays at Wake Forest this weekend, while North Carolina and Boston College could meet in the quarterfinals.
shaffer@umdbk.com
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