Height isn’t an area of strength for Maryland men’s soccer. The Terps — with just one non-goalkeeper on their roster who’s taller than 6-foot-2 — hadn’t produced much from corners and lofted crosses through their first three games of the campaign.

But facing a Pacific team with similar height limitations on Saturday, Maryland leaned into its advantage.

Most of the Terps’ best scoring chances came by way of headers from corners. Junior Luke van Heukelum provided the game’s opening score in that very fashion. A trio of goals inside the final 15 minutes of the contest lifted the Terps to a 4-0 win over Pacific (1-3) at Ludwig Field.

“We’re getting more dangerous on our set pieces, which is something you need to do to be a good team,” coach Sasho Cirovski said. “Luke’s role [on set pieces] changed from this game and he took advantage of it.”

The victory propelled Maryland (3-0-1) to its best start in a season since 2021.

van Heukelum delivered a score off Maryland’s first corner of the afternoon. Fellow forward Stephane Njike bent an inswinging cross to the middle of the box, where defender Lasse Kelp — Maryland’s tallest non-goalkeeper — drew several defenders.

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The ball sailed just beyond the leaping Kelp, but with Njike’s delivery curling toward goal, van Heukelum met the cross with momentum. The junior sent his running header toward the ground, bouncing the effort beyond Pacific goalkeeper Mateus Ruiz-Hurst.

That header represented van Heukelum’s third goal in the past two games after facing a slow start to his 2025 season. The junior remains Maryland’s leading scorer, with the Terps now up to 13 goals through their first four matches.

Much of van Heukelum’s recent success has stemmed from his ability to find open pockets of space in front of the goal. He’s tallied all of his scores this year from inside the box.

Maryland stayed on the front foot after taking the early advantage, but struggled to create chances from open play. Its only other legitimate scoring opportunity in the first half came from a pair of corners.

Defender Tristen Rose directed a header on goal in the 43rd minute, but Ruiz-Hurst made a sprawling save to deflect it wide for a follow-up corner. Senior Luca Costabile took the ensuing set piece. It drew a Pacific handball in the box, and a resulting penalty kick attempt.

With Leon Koehl — Maryland’s usual penalty taker — off the field at the time, Costabile took the spot kick. He fired a strike down the middle, which proved to be a relatively comfortable save for Ruiz-Hurst.

The Terps’ second penalty miss in as many attempts this season saw them head into halftime with a one-goal lead that should’ve been greater. But timely defensive work kept their clean sheet in place.

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Maryland’s backline has been virtually impenetrable this season, but Tigers forwards caught the Terps on occasional counter attacks.

Sophomore Ezekiel Padilla played Josephat Yangyuoru — Pacific’s most productive attacker entering play — through on goal in the 31st minute.

Terps keeper Laurin Mack closed down Yangyuoru at the edge of the 18-yard box. The forward squared his hips to shoot at the far post, but Mack broke into the splits for a left-footed kick-save that kept Maryland’s one-goal lead intact.

Maryland held control in a second half that dragged.

There were constant stoppages over the final 45 minutes. Pacific players frequently fell to the ground with cramps — largely induced by the upper-80-degree heat and extreme humidity. But those stoppages didn’t deter Maryland’s attacking efforts.

“We just have to stay switched on because one moment can change the game for us and for them,” freshman forward Rocket Ritarita said.

The Terps tallied double-digit shot attempts in the second half, largely thanks to Ritarita. The young forward scored his first career goal in the 84th minute and assisted Sadam Masereka and Aidan Sheppela for their late scores as well.

Ritarita has yet to start a match this season, but leads the Terps in assists with four. It’s a figure that speaks volumes of Maryland’s attacking depth.

“The heat was a big factor today for both teams, but our depth came through a lot more,” Cirovski said.