The situation was bleak.

No. 4 Maryland men’s soccer trailed Washington by two late in the second half of Saturday’s NCAA tournament quarterfinals. The Huskies had thoroughly dominated after intermission, and looked to add another goal in the 82nd minute when Alex Hall sent midfielder Zach Ramsey through on goal.

But Terps goalkeeper Laurin Mack collected Ramsey’s close-ranged effort and threw the ball to Luca Costabile. The defender dribbled down the left sideline before passing sideways to Stephane Njike. The sophomore considered playing a cross-field diagonal ball, but hesitated and passed backward instead — ending Maryland’s counter attack.

Coach Sasho Cirovski turned around and aggressively stepped toward the plastic chair he usually sits in. He was seemingly on the verge of smacking the inanimate object, but restrained himself once he saw a staffer flash their hand in front of it.

Cirovski’s frustration epitomized the emotions that masked Maryland’s shortcomings in Saturday’s 3-1 loss to the Huskies.

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“It’s hard to talk about right now because all I feel is raw emptiness,” Cirovski said. “To lose two games in a season, and to go undefeated in the Big Ten; to be the No. 1 ranked team at the end of the regular season; to be the only top-four seed to still be playing today is a pretty special accomplishment.”

After a season with championship expectations concluded, a desolate feeling reverberated around Ludwig Field as Terps fans filed out of the stands.

Maryland would have needed two more wins in Cary, North Carolina, to make that dream a reality. Falling one game short of that destination carries its own heartbreak, largely because of where it happened.

The Terps had never allowed more than three goals at home. Washington came into Saturday’s matchup with more losses than Maryland at Ludwig Field this season. The Huskies had also never scored in their three trips to College Park.

And early on, it looked like Maryland’s past dominance would prevail.

Freshman Henry Bernstein headed the Terps into a 19th-minute lead in his first career start. Maryland maintained the same attacking potency for the next 10 minutes before the tide shifted.

Washington slowly started controlling possession, winning a 38th-minute corner that produced a goal from a scramble in the box. That took the two sides into halftime tied, 1-1, and the urgency that the Huskies showed intensified after halftime.

The difference between the Terps and Huskies was evident on the wings, after Cirovski said earlier this week that Saturday’s matchup would feature “the best wide players in the country.”

Washington’s Joe Dale capitalized on space on the right flank in the 55th minute. He rolled a cross for Charlie Kosakoff, who stepped in front of Tristen Rose for a tidy finish that became the match’s decisive score.

Hall scored Washington’s third in the 70th minute thanks to pinpoint service from Richie Aman on the opposite wing. Complications at right back exacerbated Maryland’s defensive issues in wide spaces.

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“Unfortunately we had to take Jace [Clark] out. He’s been dealing with an injury,” Cirovski said. “We played three different guys at right back because of that injury.”

Conversely, Washington’s full backs stifled the Terps in the second half. They struggled to contain Sadam Masereka’s speed through the first 30 minutes, but quelled him as the game progressed. On the other wing, Nike finished without a shot on target.

“Once Masereka and Njike start running at you, you’re in trouble,” Washington coach Jamie Clark said. “Our guys really sold out to get out to them, to not let them get ahead of steam.”

The 2025 season will be looked upon as one of the best of Cirovski’s 33-year tenure, even though the Terps won’t have a national championship to show.

The three-time champion coach acknowledged the team’s monumental triumphs this season. But right now, the overwhelming feeling is one of heartbreak.

“The emptiness and finality of losing today’s game is hard to digest,” Cirovski said.