Entering its game against Michigan State in September, the Maryland men’s soccer team was coming off a disappointing 3-2 overtime win. Coach Sasho Cirovski was upset with the Terps’ intensity and defense, but they responded to put together what Cirovski called one of the team’s best performances of the season in a 2-0 win over the Spartans.
When Maryland played Michigan State on Friday in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals, the Terps again were coming off a match it lacked energy in, beating Michigan in double overtime. But just like it had before, Maryland responded with a dominating performance.
Behind goals from forward Gordon Wild and midfielder Amar Sejdic, the No. 1-seed Terps downed the No. 4-seed Spartans, 2-1, in Westfield, Indiana. Maryland will play the winner of No. 2-seed Indiana and No. 3-seed Wisconsin on Sunday for the Big Ten tournament championship.
After a 3-2 win over the Wolverines in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals, Cirovski called upon his team to improve its energy, passing and defense. The Terps (17-0-2) solved those issues from the start Friday, which resulted in a 17th minute goal.
Midfielder Jake Rozhansky drew three defenders while sprinting into the box and lost control of the ball. The ball rolled to Wild at the top of the box. The sophomore one-timed the ball into the back of the net for his Big Ten-leading 16th goal. Wild and Sejdic celebrated by standing straight up and falling to the field like dead fish.
Entering Friday, the Terps allowed 10 goals in the past six contests after a five-game shutout streak. Cirovski’s 23 years of postseason experience with Maryland has taught him defense is the most important group to win a championship, so he knew his squad needed to improve.
Though the Spartans (13-5-1) outshot the Terps, 15-6, Maryland enhanced its defense on counter attacks and set pieces. The Terps were about four minutes away from their seventh shutout of the year until goalkeeper Cody Niedermeier punched Spartans defender Connor Corrigan’s corner kick into his own goal in the 86th minute.
With their defense standing strong, the Terps, who entered Friday with the second-most goals per game in the nation (2.5), added onto their lead in the 61st minute.
Michigan State defender Jimmy Fiscus tripped Rozhansky in the box, and Sejdic struck the penalty kick into the bottom-left corner of the goal for his seventh goal of the season and his third off a penalty kick.
After revamping its energy Friday, Maryland has a quick turnaround Sunday to play for its fifth consecutive conference tournament championship.
CORRECTION: Due to an editing error, the headline stated the Terps were going to play in their fifth straight Big Ten title. They are actually playing for their fifth straight conference title. The story has been updated to reflect this correction.
