Stefan Copetti’s late equalizer clinches Big Ten regular-season title

Photo Courtesy of Maryland Athletics

With just three minutes remaining and Maryland looking for a goal to win the Big Ten regular-season title outright, Stefan Copetti delivered.

Joshua Bolma put a cross into Copetti, who pushed a strong header into the top left corner to tie things up for the Terps. 

Maryland scored a late goal to tie Indiana 1-1, a win the Big Ten regular-season title.

With a chance to clinch their first Big Ten Regular Season title since 2016, the 9-2-4 Terps started off slow.

Coming in, Maryland had won 11 out of their last 12, the only loss coming to High Point on Oct 17. 

Maryland controlled its own destiny on the final day of the regular season. With a win, they’d win the title outright. The only other way to win sole possession of the title was to draw and hope for an Ohio State draw or loss. 

After a slow start for the Terps, they found their footing in the 12th minute with the first real chance of the game for either side. Freshman Luca Costabile sent a ball through the box to a streaking Hunter George, who sent a shot way over the bar. 

Following more back-and-forth action, Indiana’s Ryan Wittenbrink hit a free kick into the top left corner in the 24th minute to put the Hoosiers up. 

While Indiana was up at the half, Ohio State wasn’t sharp on their own end against Wisconsin, going down 2-0 in the first half. 

In a very tightly played first half with just two shots on target apiece, Wittenbrink’s strike was the difference, giving the Hoosiers a share of the Big Ten title with the Terps as things stood at halftime. 

Maryland came out swinging to open up the second half, with Nick Richardson’s cross finding Stefan Copetti in the box, who put a shot on net, but a great save from Indiana goalkeeper JT Harms knocked it away to maintain the lead.

Although Maryland had some very poor giveaways as the half went on, Indiana couldn’t capitalize. 

With 20 minutes left, Indiana held a 1-0 lead in Bloomington. 

At the same time, Wisconsin held a 3-2 lead against Ohio State, which would in turn, knock the Buckeyes out of contention.

With time winding down and the Ohio State match ending in Wisconsin’s favor, Maryland looked for a late goal to tie the game up and win the title outright.

Following Copetti’s equalizer in the 87th minute, their first and only shot on target in the second half, the Terps looked to close things out. 

The game ended shortly after, and Maryland celebrated their first regular season title since 2016. 

With the tie, the Big Ten conference tournament will go through College Park.