By Johnny Moseman
No. 1 University of Maryland men’s soccer team started its postseason the same way it ended the regular season; by beating eight-seeded Michigan in double overtime. This time, Maryland came away with the 3-2 victory Sunday to advance to the Big Ten semifinal.
Junior George Campbell scored the game-winning goal for the Terps in the 102nd minute after some fancy footwork from Campbell and a beautiful assist from Alex Crognale. This was Campbell’s third goal of the season.
“Moving on and advancing is the biggest thing,” Campbell said. “Scoring the goal is huge, but getting the team to the next round is the biggest thing for me right now.”
Both teams have seen this story before, as Maryland and Michigan went to double overtime last Sunday in Ann Arbor. Maryland won that match and went on to finish the regular season undefeated for the first time in 48 years.
“We have a flare for the dramatic this year,” said Maryland head coach Sasho Cirovski. “I love my team’s resiliency, but I’m frustrated that we are making games this interesting.”
Michigan beat Rutgers 2-1 Saturday in College Park in the first round of the Big Ten tournament.
“I think our players thought it might be easier because [Michigan] played the day before,” Cirovski said. “That was a mistake and we won’t have that problem on Friday.
The first goal of Sunday’s game came off of an own goal from Michigan. In the 30th minute sophomore Gordon Wild ran down a pass from junior Jake Rozhansky and shot it, but the ball was deflected off the toes of a Michigan defender and went in for the score.
Michigan first tied things up in the 42nd minute. A minute later senior Chris Odoi-Atsem placed a pass at the feet of sophomore DJ Reeves, who put the ball in the back of the net to give the Terps the lead right before halftime.
Michigan found an equalizer in the 52nd minute when First Team All-Big Ten selection Francis Atuahene headed the ball in the top right corner of the goal. Atuahene led the Big Ten in shots taken, averaging 4.27 shots per game.
The Terps had a week’s rest before today’s game. Cirovski has been talking all season long about how the college soccer season should be longer, and a week off should help players, but sometimes it doesn’t.
“Sometimes when you’re off for a week you think it’s going to be easier,” Cirovski said. “Sometimes rest turns to rust, so I’m glad we only have four nights between our next game and not six.”
Maryland men’s soccer is back in action this Friday in a Big Ten semifinal match against Michigan State in Westfield, Indiana. The Terps beat Michigan State earlier this season in College Park 2-0.
“We expect to win the Big Ten championship,” Cirovski added.
