Remember when I wrote in this space how much the Terps were looking forward to a rematch with No. 1 and previously undefeated Wake Forest? Remember when I wrote it would take a major upset to keep Wake out of the tournament championship game Sunday at 1 p.m.?
Well guess what. That upset happened Friday night and the Terps will be playing Virginia, not the Demon Deacons, in the final here in Cary, N.C. The Cavaliers scored two goals in the second half to take a 2-1 lead before Wake tied it off of a corner kick in the 89th minute. In the second overtime Virginia earned a penalty kick (on what was a bad call from my untrained perspective) and converted to take the semifinal match and topple the powerful Demon Deacons.
How did it happen? Wake didn’t look themselves in the first half- it was scoreless at halftime. But according to coach Jay Vidovich, their center defensive back, Ike Opara, was dealing with a groin injury and couldn’t go in the second. His absence made Wake Forest a different team, and the Cavs took advantage. Wake also was playing without their super-sub, midfielder Austin da Luz, who really hurt Maryland in the Demon Deacons’ 4-2 win against the Terps in September.
It all added up to a big upset- and another Terps/Cavaliers conference tourney final:
2004: UVA 2, Terps 1; 2002: Terps 3, UVA 0; 1997: UVA 2, Terps 0; 1996: Terps 2, UVA 0
It’s the first time since 2004 that the Terps are in the conference final, and according to coach Sasho Cirovski, “it’s been too long.” The Terps should be able to lock up a top four seed, meaning home field in the NCAA tournament until the College Cup, with a win Sunday. Even though there is an injury to midfielder Matt Kassel and Cirovski thinks forward Casey Townsend has hit the proverbial “freshman wall,” the Cavaliers are probably even more beat up.
Plus, after an exhausting double overtime win over the No. 1 team in the nation on Friday night, how much more can Virginia do? This matchup sets up nicely for the Terps. But then again, if it wasn’t for two Cavalier red cards in the Terps’ 2-1 win at Virginia on Halloween night, that match could have turned out very differently. The Terps were on the defensive for much of that game and scored on basically their only legitimate scoring opportunities.
Either way, it’ll be fun. Check back tomorrow before game time for more.
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