When Coastal Carolina midfielder Jeranimo Power tied the game just 30 seconds after Maryland men’s soccer earned a 1-0 lead, it appeared the Terps might wind up with a result that didn’t adequately reflect their performance.
Maryland dominated No. 18 Coastal Carolina on the road Sunday afternoon, but quickly saw its first breakthrough evaporate in the same minute that midfielder William James Herve notched his team-leading third goal of the season.
But Maryland (4-3-2) scored twice in less than two minutes later in game, securing a 3-1 signature win away from Ludwig Field. Unlike early-season draws against Stanford and Virginia, the Terps received the outcome they felt they rightfully earned against a top-25 opponent.
“To win on the road against a top team is always good, but it’s the fashion that we did it,” coach Sasho Cirovski said. “We didn’t sneak away with a win here. We came and won in comprehensive fashion.”
Cirovski has repeatedly said his team’s difficult early-season slate, which featured three ranked teams, would help the Terps as the season progressed. Herve’s goal in the 53rd minute was a sign that its difficult 0-1-2 start to the season was starting to pay off.
Junior forward Paul Bin slipped behind the backline, received a through ball and found Herve making a run into the box. The unmarked midfielder one-timed a shot into the back of the net to give Maryland its first lead over a ranked foe this season.
It didn’t last long. A quick lapse of comfort allowed the Chanticleers to equalize on their only shot on goal of the afternoon less than a minute later. Before Maryland regained possession, Power leveled the score despite the overwhelming disparity in shots.
“That was the only disappointment of the game,” Cirovski said. “We let our guard down right after the goal. It was a little too much exhale.”
Rather than succumbing to the frustration of the immediate equalizer, Maryland kept the pressure on Chanticleers goalkeeper Chris Datallo. The senior goalie kept the Terps scoreless until the second half after they registered double-digit shots in the first 45 minutes alone.
Maryland’s 19-8 shot advantage was indicative of the result it likely deserved, and the victory finally materialized in the final moments of the game. The Terps battled back from the game-tying strike, scoring two quick goals to win for the fourth time in the last five games.
Sophomore Eric Matzelevich set up forward Justin Gielen’s first college goal in the 78th minute, resembling Maryland’s first score from the opposite side of box. Gielen’s first touch, like Herve’s, was a shot that gave Maryland a one-goal lead.
Instead of allowing another game-tying goal, Maryland added to its lead.
This time, Bin’s second assist of the contest found forward Sebastian Elney for his first goal of the season. Bin got behind the Chanticleers’ defense again and passed in front of the net to generate Maryland’s third one-timed goal. It marked the Terps’ first three-goal game of the season.
“We were on the front foot the whole game,” Cirovski said. “We played our most complete game of the year and we were more threatening than we’ve been all year.”
After winning three of their last four games against unranked opponents, Coastal Carolina marked the start of another vicious stretch for the Terps that features five currently ranked opponents in their last eight games of the regular season.
But the Terps have now scored in five consecutive games after failing to do so in the first four and are now above .500 for the first time in the 2018 campaign.
The victory is a positive sign for a team that went winless in three early opportunities against top-25 competition. The Terps hadn’t scored in any of those three games against Washington, Virginia or Stanford, but were able to break out for a season-high on Sunday.
“It’s things that we’ve been working on and things we haven’t been doing enough of so far this season,” Cirovski said. “It was nice to be rewarded for some good work.”
