Tomorrow, the No. 6 (NSCAA/adidas) Terrapin men’s soccer team kicks off its fall schedule with an exhibition against No. 17 St. Johns at Ludwig Field in College Park.
The Terps also face UMBC in Baltimore on August 24 and Georgetown at home on August 28 as preseason tune-ups before the start of the season. With the season right around the corner, mark these dates in your calendar.
TOP-FIVE GAMES TO WATCH IN 2010:
5. TERPS vs. No. 24 Michigan State (Friday, Sept. 3)
The Terps’ home opener features Big 10 favorite Michigan State. The Spartans enter the season with 10 returning starters and 20 letterwinners from an NCAA tournament team last year. Leading the way is preseason Hermann Trophy candidate Avery Steinlage. The goalkeeper led the NCAA last season with a 0.925 save percentage and posted 10 shutouts in his first year starting. While the Spartans don’t offer the same glamourous match-up that west coast foes California and UCLA have presented in the past two seasons, they are a tough opening matchup and will set the tone for the early part of the year.
4. TERPS at No. 4 North Carolina (Friday, Sept. 24)
With only 1:55 remaming in the match, former-Terp Kevin Tagney headed in the game-winner at Ludwig Field last year to elevate the Terps past then-No. 2 North Carolina. The match set an attendance record for Ludwig Field at 6,946 and was the 600th win in program history. This year, the Terps will try to recreate the magic in Chapel Hill against an equally tough opponent.The Tar Heels lose just four seniors from a College Cup squad last year and return Hermann Trophy candidates Michael Farfan (midfield) and Bill Schuler (forward). The Terps need to pick up a quality performance against the Tar Heel as they face Duke and Connecticut back-to-back.
3. TERPS vs. No. 3 Wake Forest (Saturday, Oct. 23)
While the Terps’ football team travels to Chestnut Hill, the men’s soccer team will face vaunted Wake Forest in the confines of Ludwig Field to renew the annual rivalry. The Terps haven’t defeated the Demon Deacons since 2006 meaning that only forward Jason Herrick has ever played in a win against Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons have advanced to four straight College Cups, but lost five starters including four in the first round of the MLS Super Draft.
2. TERPS at No. 2 Virginia (Friday, Oct. 29)
Last season the Terps found one team that continuously revealed their weaknesses and shortcomings. That team was Virginia. After a 0-0 tie in College Park during the regular season, the Cavaliers defeated the Terps in the ACC Tournament and then the Elite Eight before upending Akron in the National Championship. Returning for Virginia is All-America first team goalkeeper Diego Restrepo (who set a team record with 15 shutouts) and Soccer America’s freshman of the year Will Bates (who finished with 12 goals last year). This year’s match-up could determine the ACC regular season champion and falls just six days after the Terps face Wake Forest.
1. TERPS vs. No. 11 Duke (Friday, Oct. 1)
It’s the most anticipated weekend for Terps sports this fall and it all starts on Friday night on national television against one of the team’s most hated rivals – Duke. The Terps face the No. 11 Blue Devils on Fox Soccer Channel as the College Game of the Week. Less than 24 hours later, the Terps football team welcomes the Blue Devils to College Park as well. The soccer game, however, should matter much more as Duke hopes to contend in the deep ACC. Oh and the Blue Devils 2-0 upset of the then-No. 2 Terps last year will be fresh on everyone’s minds.
Honorable mention: at No. 12 Boston College (Sept. 10), vs. No. 22 Connecticut (Oct. 5).
Some scheduling tidbits:
- The Terps face 10 teams this season that earned berths to the NCAA Tournament last year
- Aside from the ACC, the Terps face nine teams from seven different conferences
- Only two non-conference opponents the Terps face this season are ranked in the NSCAA/adidas Preseason Top 25 poll.
- While not good enough to crack the top-5 games this year, the Terps face Loyola (Md.) in Baltimore on Sept. 14. While not an entirely intriguing matchup, the Terps get to play in the brand-new Ridley Athletic Complex.
- Non-conference opponents: vs. No. 24 Michigan State (9/3), vs. Northeastern (9/5), at Loyola (9/14), vs. George Mason (9/21), vs. No. 22 UConn (10/5), at Lehigh (10/12), vs. Colgate (10/19), vs. William & Mary (11/2), vs. Coastal Carolina (11/5)
- Conference opponents: at No. 12 Boston College (9/12), vs. N.C. State (9/18), at No. 4 North Carolina (9/24), vs. No. 11 Duke (10/1), at Virginia Tech (10/8), vs. Clemson (10/16), vs. No. 3 Wake Forest (10/23), at No. 2 Virginia (10/29)
Remember to check back at the TerrapinTrail.com for all your men’s soccer and Terps news. Also, I may try a live chat during tomorrow’s exhibition against St. Johns.
Chris Eckard is the Diamondback’s Terrapin men’s soccer beat reporter. Reach him at ceckard@umdbk.com and follow him at www.twitter.com/ceckard.