Midfielder Tsubasah Endo makes a quick pass to a teammate during the Terps’ 1-0 loss to Michigan State on Sept. 19, 2014 at Ludwig Field.
Sasho Cirovski slogged over to a scrum of reporters standing on the track at Ludwig Field, where an announced 6,014 had just witnessed the Terrapins men’s soccer team fall to No. 16 Michigan State, 1-0, on Friday night.
Earlier in the week, the Terps spoke of expecting a crowd that would rival that of last season’ 3-1 win over Duke that hosted a field record 8,397. The team distributed 2,000 scarves to fans, the school band was stationed near the field.
The heightened expectations failed to translate to the pitch, as the Terps suffered their third shutout of the season. So when Cirovski began speaking, he sported a dispirited frown, and his voice sounded coarse.
“I certainly didn’t expect our record to be this,” Cirovski said. “This has been a tough stretch.”
Last Friday, the Terps (1-3-2) netted an equalizing goal in the 90th minute to avoid a loss at Michigan. The same thing nearly transpired against Michigan State (4-1-1).
With less than a minute remaining in the game, goalkeeper Zach Steffen sent a pass to defender Jereme Raley from midfield. Raley sprinted along the right flank before chipping a cross into the box. Defender Mikey Ambrose leaped into the air, sending the attempt past goalkeeper Zach Bennett, seeming to tie the game.
Defender Zach Carroll had other ideas. He swooped in behind the diving Bennett, heading the ball out of danger to seal the win.
“We did everything right,” Cirovski said. “Their defender made a great play. It was a great play, great run. The whole thing was perfect, like we were going to get a goal. You have to credit their guy, made a great play.”
The play epitomized the Terps’ game. They outshot the Spartans, 8-2, and maintained possession for large chunks of the second half. But a Michigan State defense that has allowed just one goal all season continually stymied the Terps’ chances.
Cirovski has frequently tinkered with his frontline, and he started a new combination on Friday. Forward Ryan Reid, who saw his first playing time last week, started alongside Raley, who hadn’t previously played the position in college.
The adjustments proved futile.
“We’ve played so many guys out there,” Cirovski said. ”But we haven’t able to find any rhythm, any synchronicity. I think the spacing, the timing [of] the players, is just not there.”
The Terps defense, meanwhile, delivered one of its most dominant performances of 2014 and held the Spartans to just two shots. Still, Ambrose wasn’t pleased with the effort.
“We gave up one goal,” Ambrose said. “So we didn’t do our jobs as a team defensively.”
In the ninth minute, Spartans midfielder Jason Stacy received a ball about 30 yards outside the box. As he shifted his body and began dribbling to his right, defensive midfielder Dan Metzger stayed with him. Metzger tripped mid-stride, though, giving Stacy enough breathing room to chip a left-footed shot into the bottom left corner of the net.
Before this season, the Terps hadn’t been shutout since playing Seton Hall to a draw on Sept. 20, 2011. With three shutouts already in tow, the Terps hardly resemble a team prepared to make a deep postseason run.
“We just can’t score right now,” Cirovski said. “They’re going to come. They’re going to come.”
