Maryland men’s soccer (6-3-1) ascended back into the top-25 rankings of the United Soccer Coaches’ Poll on Tuesday, landing at No. 25 after a two-win week with victories over Rutgers and then-No. 14 Cal State Fullerton.
Following a preseason No. 1 ranking, the Terps incurred a steady drop down the poll as the team struggled to find consistent success. Maryland dropped out of the rankings on Sept. 24 after a 3-1 loss as the No. 25 team to an unranked Northwestern squad four days earlier.
[Read more: A once-shaky Maryland men’s soccer squad has displayed its growth in four-game stretch]
But the absence from the poll lasted only two weeks, as coach Sasho Cirovski’s squad reeled off four straight unbeaten results, with three wins and one draw. In that span, the Terps upset then-No. 9 St. John’s and Cal State Fullerton, who slipped to No. 24 in the most recent poll.
Now that Maryland has entered the second half of the season, the schedule is tilted more toward conference matchups. The Terps are one of two ranked teams representing the Big Ten, along with No. 4 Indiana. No other conference foe received votes in this week’s poll.
[Read more: Maryland men’s soccer upsets No. 14 Cal State Fullerton, 2-0, in heated battle]
Next up for Cirovski and Co. is a trip to East Lansing, Michigan, to play unranked Michigan State (2-6-2) on Friday night. Maryland then returns home to play No. 12 Georgetown (8-1-1) on Monday night at Ludwig Field.
