Forward George Campbell and Defender Alex Crognale celebrate after Campbell scored off an assist by Crognale during the Terps 1-0 victory over Ohio State at Ludwig Field on Nov 1, 2014.
Before the Terrapins men’s soccer team soccer began its tilt against Ohio State on Saturday night, the team honored its six-member senior class: midfielders Dan Metzger, Alex Shinsky and Mikias Eticha, defenders Jereme Raley and Kyle Roach, and goalkeeper Jordan Tatum.
The seniors, flanked by their relatives, received framed Terps jerseys. They took pictures at midfield. And the announced crowd of 2,004 at Ludwig Field voiced its support.
But when the final whistle blew on the Terps 1-0 victory, the seniors had reason to thank a freshman, as forward George Campbell scored a 75th-minute goal to extend the Terps’ winning streak to seven. The win moves the Terps into second place in the Big Ten.
“We controlled the game from beginning to end,” coach Sasho Cirovski said. “That’s a very good college soccer team. They made it difficult for us. They were disciplined, they were organized. They were very dangerous on the counter, but we managed virtually every situation well today.”
If the Terps (10-5-2, 4-2-1 Big Ten) win at Rutgers in their regular-season finale on Wednesday, they could earn the regular season conference championship if Penn State falls at Northwestern on Sunday.
“It’s the first time in the Big Ten Conference, we definitely want to finish on top,” Metzger said. “It was definitely a big win for us. But we’re focused on the next game now.”
Metzger assisted on Campbell’s goal. The play started when midfielder Tsubasa Endoh lifted one of the Terps’ 10 corner kicks into the box. A player got a piece of the ball before Metzger headed it to defender Alex Crognale. Crognale tipped the ball with his right-foot, and Campbell headed the ball past Ohio State (7-6-4, 4-3-0) goalkeeper Alex Ivanov.
Before the goal, though, the Terps were inefficient offensively despite dominating possession. But in the 57th minute Endoh nearly broke the 0-0 draw. Endoh received the ball about 40 yards out, before immediately shifting his body towards goal and dribbling forward. He smashed a left-footed rip at goal, but it caromed off of the goalpost.
“Oh boy. I was ready to jump out of my shoes,” Cirovski said.
For all of the offensive struggles, though, the Terps put on a dominant effort defensively. The Buckeyes, who came into the game averaging 12.12 shots per game, didn’t record any shots until the 69th minute.
“We did a good job snuffing out their counters when we lost the ball,” Metzger said. “Immediately after we lost it, we had numbers around it, and were able to recover it. We didn’t really give Ohio State a chance to get it forward.”
Cirovski used a thin bench against the Buckeyes, using only Campbell and fellow forward David Kabelik. Crognale, who left in the first half of the Terps’ 5-2 win over Hartwick on Tuesday, played all 90 minutes at center back opposite defender Chris Odoi-Atsem.
Throughout the game, the framed jerseys the Terps seniors received in the pregame ceremony were leaning against the back of the team’s bench, serving as a reminder of the significance of the game.
But for the Terps, it was a freshman that propelled them to victory.
“The whole team will relish in that,” Shinsky said. “Have to give him a hug when [I] get back to the locker room.”
