Goalkeeper Zack Steffen looks for an open teammate during the Terps 1-0 victory over Ohio State at Ludwig Field on Nov 1, 2014.

Zack Steffen was a key component in the Terrapins men’s soccer team’s run to the College Cup final last season, he has spearheaded a potent defense this year and he has made a name for himself on the national soccer stage.

But you still might not know these four things about the Terps goalkeeper:

1) He briefly played forward as a freshman in high school

While in middle school at Malvern Preparatory School in Malvern, Pennsylvania, Steffen played with the freshman team. But after suffering a broken hand, Steffen couldn’t serve as the team’s goalkeeper, so he played offense.

“He always liked playing on the field,” said Leighton Walters, a member of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. “Which, as a goalkeeper, is a very good thing.”

While playing striker, Steffen developed a fresh perspective. He could understand how his offensive teammates felt and how to play against a defender. In turn, he became a more well-rounded player.

Steffen played well as a striker and scored a few goals, Walters said. But once his hand healed, he was back in goal.

“It was a huge advantage for him, being able to think like a field player,” Walters said.

2) He missed 50 days of school his senior year

Steffen’s dedication to soccer interfered with his academics, as he missed 50 days of high school as a senior while competing with the U-17 national team.

Still, Steffen maintained a 3.0 GPA by teaching himself much of his class material. Downingtown West principal Tom Mulvey advocated for Steffen in a letter of recommendation sent to this university’s admissions office.

“While he is studious and deliberative student, he is a loud and vocal leader on the soccer field,” Mulvey wrote in the testimonial. “He is well-liked and respected by his peers and teachers alike. He has been chosen at Downingtown West’s Spotlight Student Athlete of the year by our staff for the Daily Local News, our county newspaper.”

3) He stopped two penalty kicks to seal the Philadelphia Union Academy Team’s U-17 championship

When the Terps lost to Notre Dame in the 2013 College Cup finals, it wasn’t the first time Steffen had been in goal for an important title game. In August 2012, the academy team played Toronto FC in the Generation Adidas Cup.

After 90 minutes and two extra-time periods, the contest was tied at two. In the shootout, the Union converted all of their attempts, while Steffen stopped Toronto’s first and fifth kicks.

After he blocked the final penalty, Steffen was mobbed by teammates near the goal, and the team later was honored at halftime during a Union game.

“There’s a video on YouTube of it I probably watched 100 times,” said his mother, Stefanie Steffen.

4) He loves to play FIFA

When asked if her son had any interests outside of soccer, Stefanie Steffen hesitated. After a few moments of deliberation, she said she couldn’t think of anything completely unrelated to the sport.

But she did mention his affinity for soccer video games.

“He and his core group of friends are just total soccer junkies,” Steffen said. “Even when he was unwinding and escaping, it still kind of involved soccer. They were in the basement, on the Xbox or watching soccer.”