Leon Koehl continues penalty-kick prowess in Maryland men’s soccer’s 2-0 over George Mason

Photo courtesy of Hyun Jo Choi/ University of Maryland Athletics

Leon Koehl stood over the ball and prepared to take his sixth penalty of the year. The sophomore midfielder calmly sent goalie Jaume Salvado the wrong way and buried his shot into the right netting to extend the Terps’ lead to 2-0. 

“I went down the middle on my last one,” Koehl said. “And the keeper was like, ‘Yeah I think you’re going to go down the middle,’ and I was like, ‘No I’m not.’ Then I just scored it on the right.”

No. 6 Maryland men’s soccer (8-1-4) defeated George Mason (10-3), 2-0, to extend its unbeaten streak to 11 games. The Terps have the chance to move up even further in the rankings this week after No. 1 West Virginia lost 5-1 to Dayton in their Tuesday night game. 

Koehl is now a perfect 6-6 from the penalty spot, ranking first in the country for penalty goals. The last Maryland player to better that was Patrick Mullins, former two-time Hermann Trophy winner for best player in the country, in 2013. Mullins later played eight years in the MLS.

The Terps were without injured forward Colin Griffith. The junior is the joint top scorer for Maryland and ranks third in the Big Ten with six goals. But Koehl and Sadam Masereka stepped up with goals in his absence. 

Masereka is a transfer in his first season with Maryland following two years with nine-time NAIA champion Lindsey Wilson College, where he scored 22 goals and recorded seven assists. The jump to the NCAA level required a learning period for him to adjust. 

Masereka showed off his blistering pace early but struggled to deliver the finished product in the final third, only recording one assist and no goals in his first 10 Maryland games. The forward has hit his stride now, netting the 83rd minute game-winner in a 2-1 win against Michigan State. He has scored twice in his last three games. 

“I’m getting my confidence back,” Masereka said. “I just need one more on Monday so that my confidence can keep going.”

In Griffith’s absence, Jace Clark replaced Alex Nitzl at right back, while Nitzl stepped into the midfield and Albi Ndrenika moved to left wing. Clark provided an energetic spark, defending but also getting up the pitch and providing speed with his runs on the right wing. 

The Patriots put the Terps under pressure early with sustained spells of possession. But Maryland has proved all year that it doesn’t need a large share of the ball or many shots to make an impact. The Terps have won four games this season where the opposition recorded more shots.

“George Mason is an outstanding team in possession, and they created some problems for us in the first 15 to 20 minutes,” coach Sasho Cirovski said. “But we adjusted a few things tactically. We dropped into a double pivot, a double six. We were a little smart with the way that we pressured and where we steered it.”

Chris Steinleitner played a through ball to a streaking Masereka on a quick counterattack in the 29th minute, who slipped his goal past goalie Jaume Salvado. Masereka’s score was only the Terps’ second shot of the game.

The goal sparked a period of sustained energy from the Maryland attack. The Terps controlled the rest of the half and pushed for a second goal, but the Patriots dug in defensively and blocked all four Maryland shots in the last 16 minutes of the first half. 

The Terps are used to facing physical opponents and George Mason was no different, recording 12 fouls and causing several stoppages while injured Maryland players had to be treated on the field. 

Maryland’s defense shut down a dynamic George Mason offense that has only been held scoreless in one other game this season. Goalie Laurin Mack didn’t have to make any saves in the first half as Terp defenders blocked all four Patriot shots.

Mack was called upon to make his only save of the match in the 71st minute when he swiftly rushed off his line to block Quentin Clain’s shot. The Patriots had other chances to score but their three other second half shots all missed the target. 

Maryland has nearly a week-long break before returning to play in a top-20 matchup at home versus No. 19 UCLA on Monday.