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by **JoeTerp** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 8:46 pm

CHAMPS AGAIN! Maryland Men's Soccer Wins 2008 NCAA National Championship
Zusi nets game-winner to give Maryland its second title in four years

Dec. 14, 2008

FRISCO, Texas - The Maryland men's soccer team needed to prove twice why it was the best team in the ACC and it did just that and more Sunday, defeating North Carolina, 1-0, off a game-winner from senior Graham Zusi to capture the 2008 NCAA National Championship at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas.

From the onset, it appeared quite obvious that this was the third matchup between the two teams this season. North Carolina and Maryland players nearly shadowed each other for the majority of the first half, neither allowing much space to operate. UNC (15-8-1) took the first shot and corner kick of the match as well as tallying more scoring opportunities in the first 20 minutes than Maryland faced the entire semifinal Friday against St. John's.

But Maryland (23-3-0) caught momentum midway through the first period when the Terps had a pair of opportune corner kicks in the 23rd minute. Jason Herrick attempted a header off the first corner that was saved by UNC keeper Brooks Haggerty and another was dribbled around and sent to Matt Kassel, who took a long-range shot that was blocked. Three minutes later, Rodney Wallace served a nice ball to Jason Herrick who scored while dashing up the middle of the box, but the goal was brought back after an offside penalty was issued.

The Terps continued firing, picking up a total of seven shots in the first stanza. Rodkey had a strike go wide left at 35:21 and Herrick had a chance go directly at Haggerty 30 seconds later. Zusi lined up for a free kick at 37:19 that stretched back just a bit farther than his game-winner Friday, but it was also saved by Haggerty. The game went into the half knotted at zeros.

The Tar Heels registered the first shot of the half again in the second period, this time with the benefit of the wind at its back. But the Maryland backline continued to persevere, knocking the ball away from the goal into the intense wind and leaving Carolina forwards Brian Shriver and Billy Schuler with few scoring opportunities.

Maryland kept applying pressure up front as well and finally got on the board at 66:10. Doug Rodkey crossed a ball to Jeremy Hall in the middle of the field, whose shot was blocked but the rebound beneficially made its way to Zusi 18-yards out. Zusi wasted little time, took it off the bounce and fired a laser to the keeper's right for the score.

Freshman keeper Zac MacMath, who showed the maturity of a veteran between the pipes, would take it from there, making a great sliding save against a shot by UNC's Michael Callahan with less than ten minutes remaining to preserve the lead and the championship for Maryland. It was the 19th consecutive win for the rookie keeper.

The title is the third for the Maryland men's soccer program and the second in the past four seasons. Head coach Sasho Cirovski now boasts two national championships, as do departing seniors A.J. Delagarza, Michael Marchiano and Zusi, who all played reserve roles in the 2005 championship. The 2008 edition has set what Cirovski coined as the `gold standard', setting a school-record for wins (23) and shutouts (15) in a season as well as winning both the ACC and NCAA championships. The Terps will take a 16-game winning streak into the 2009 campaign.

"Our goal at the beginning of the year was to be the last team standing," Cirovski, who became the Maryland career-leader in wins earlier this season, said. "Our motto was from the Home Depot Center to Pizza Hut Park. The leadership of the seniors along with the hunger of the junior class and the sophomore class as well as the freshmen made this the most balanced team I have ever had."

In addition to Zusi, junior Omar Gonzalez was named Most Outstanding Defensive Player of the tournament. Delagarza, senior defender Rich Costanzo and sophomore forward Jason Herrick were named to the all-tournament team.

*Pizza Hut Park is where the ressies won the Dallas Cup last year.

here is some of the talent we have produced:

A few USA internationals

by **JoeTerp** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 8:51 pm

Maryland, we're all behind you.
Wave high the BLACK and GOLD,
For there is nothing half so glorious
As to see our team victorious.
We've got the team, Boys,
We've got the steam, Boys,
So keep on fighting, DONT GIVE IN!
M-A-R-Y-L-A-N-D
Maryland will win!

by **JoeTerp** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 8:56 pm

The ACC is like the Premiership of college conferences, fielding 3/4 semi-finalists in the national tournament.

by **Sabre** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 3:18 pm

For some reason I thought you didn't follow any local american team.

Anyhow, I'm happy you do, I'm of the school of thought that football is beautiful in top divisions, but also lower ones.

Well done Maryland Terrapins!

by **Judge** » Fri Jan 02, 2009 9:55 am

why do the americans trivialise our sport by giving stupid names to their teams :angry:

i mean MARYLAND is such a cack name :angry:

by **Sabre** » Fri Jan 02, 2009 9:58 am

Not much worse than Chelsea anyway, Judge

by **Judge** » Fri Jan 02, 2009 12:53 pm

Sabre wrote:Not much worse than Chelsea anyway, Judge

actually if we americanised all the names then chelsea would be

Chelsea Leaguebuyers

by **dawson99** » Fri Jan 02, 2009 3:24 pm

dunno why a team would name itself after a cookie but there you go

by **JoeTerp** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 12:27 pm

Just to be clear, its NOT pronounced: Mary Land. Its Mare (as in an adult female horse, or Hair with an M instead of H) Lynd (as in Lyndsey). Also acceptable would be to say Marilyn with a D on the end.

And its not a team, its a State, more specifically a State University in this case, the one that I graduated from in May. This was the national university competition in case that wasn't clear, and Sabre, I don't follow them too much, but I did watch the semi finals and read about the finals because they were doing well (they are always there or about). I only went to a handful of games while I was in school some were from my "pre-LFC" days when I didn't know what the Champions League was and some were after, but I never really liked American soccer fans, they suck, and would call someone like me an "anglophile" or a "eurosnob," and would make claims like "DC United could finish ahead of Newcastle United if they both played in the BPL"

But on a separate note, managing at the elite university level is one of the biggest challenges in football IMO. Normally, its tough enough at uni level to have a rolling team with players only lasting 4 years, but I saw an interview with the Maryland manager on tv and he was explaining how recruitment is a delicate balance between recruiting players who you know will only play 1 or 2 years before becoming professional, and recruiting players that aren't as good on purpose but you can see room for development and a potential future as role player in the team in 3 or 4 years time. So its an odd dynamic where the stars of the team are the highly talented (in relative terms) young faces, and the smaller roles are given to the players who actually have some experience and found a niche in the system that they have been understudying for a couple of seasons.

by **Judge** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 4:05 pm

dawson99 wrote:dunno why a team would name itself after a cookie but there you go

by **JoeTerp** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 6:18 am

Judge wrote:
dawson99 wrote:dunno why a team would name itself after a cookie but there you go

by **Number 9** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 8:35 am

dawson99 wrote:dunno why a team would name itself after a cookie but there you go

Its a fuc'king biscuit not a cookie!

by **dawson99** » Sun Jan 11, 2009 6:18 pm

Maryland cookies are...cookies

by **JoeTerp** » Sun Jan 11, 2009 8:50 pm

dawson99 wrote:Maryland cookies are...cookies

"Maryland Cookies are a brand name of biscuit produced by Burton's Foods in the United Kingdom."

by **Judge** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 2:38 pm

JoeTerp wrote:
dawson99 wrote:Maryland cookies are...cookies

"Maryland Cookies are a brand name of biscuit produced by Burton's Foods in the United Kingdom."

i'd rather have a maryland cookie than one flavoured with terrapin

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