Midfielder Jorge Calix looks to pass during Maryland’s 0-0 draw with Indiana at Ludwig Field on Oct. 16, 2015.

Terrapins men’s soccer midfielder Jorge Calix made his first career start against Villanova on Oct. 5. With forwards Sebastian Elney and Eryk Williamson playing for the U-20 U.S. men’s national team in Germany, coach Sasho Cirovski started Calix and senior David Kabelik up top against the Wildcats.

Williamson and Elney returned to the starting lineup against Penn State four days later. Calix, though, was back in the lineup for the Terps’ scoreless draw with Indiana on Oct. 16 and will look to continue to make an impact Tuesday night when the Terps welcome Delaware to Ludwig Field.

“Jorge has been very instrumental over the last few games, and that’s why we had to put him on the field,” Cirovski said. “He’s been good on set pieces and the flow of play, creating chances, so he’s emerged a little bit, and that’s why we made some changes.”

READ MORE: Terps play to draw with Indiana

With Calix’s promotion, midfielder Amar Sejdic, who started the first 12 matches, began the match on the bench.

After a strong start to the year, Cirovski said Sejdic has “hit a little bit of a wall.” The Louisville, Kentucky, native scored twice against St. John’s on Aug. 30 but hasn’t found the net since. Against the Hoosiers, he watched all 110 minutes from the sideline.

Calix, meanwhile, has succeeded when given opportunities to see the field. He notched his first college goal against Northwestern on Oct. 2 and tallied his first assist in a 2-0 win over Villanova three days later.

Plus, the former D.C. United Academy star added two more assists in the Terps’ come-from-behind win over the Nittany Lions.

“Jorge is a terrific player,” Cirovski said after the Penn State game Oct. 9. “He serves a great ball. He’s got a great shot. He works extremely hard. I think he’s settling in and understanding his role.”

Calix has been particularly useful on corner kicks. With the Terps trailing Penn State 2-1, Calix curled his corner into the box and found forward George Campbell for a goal as time expired in the first half. Cirovski labeled that sequence as a “game-changer” in the eventual 4-3 win.

And while midfielders Mael Corboz and Tsubasa Endoh usually take the team’s corner kicks, they understand the potential benefits of allowing Calix to send the ball into the box from time to time.

“He’s more confident, so naturally from that side, it’s nice for a lefty to curl it in,” Corboz said. “I think his left foot really poses a threat on set pieces, and obviously last game we scored off that, so he’s done really well with it.”

There haven’t been any problems deciding who takes the corner kicks — Corboz said one player usually calls it and the others respect his decision — and the players looking to convert on the set piece don’t seem to have a preference, either.

“We just have our runs, and we try to go to the same spot every time,” defender Alex Crognale said. “We just hope that Jorge, Mael, Tsubasa, whoever’s taking the corners, is able to put it in a good spot and give us a chance.”

Entering the contest against Delaware (6-6-2), the Terps (6-3-4) are in second place in the conference standings, one point behind Ohio State. But Tuesday’s match with Delaware provides a break from the physical demands of Big Ten play.

And though the Terps’ starting lineup hasn’t been revealed for their match against the Blue Hens, Calix will likely play a large role in a game Cirovski said is crucial for his team down the stretch.

“We play a Delaware team that is much better than their record and has a lower RPI than they should,” Cirovski said. “So it’s a must-win for us.”