No. 8 Maryland men’s soccer (3-1-1) travels north to open up conference play against Michigan (2-3-1).
Coming off a tight 2-1 victory over Georgetown, the Terps will look to continue their winning ways, searching for a third consecutive win.
In their victory over the Hoyas, the Terps saw contributions from midfielder Malcolm Johnston and defender Nick Richardson, who both found the back of the net in the first half.
Johnston currently leads Maryland in goals (two), both coming in the last two games against Virginia and Georgetown. Both goals came off of penalty kicks, a strength of the Terps thus far in its 2022 campaign.
Johnston’s strong play last week was rewarded with Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors.
“It felt good, it felt nice,” Johnston said. “But weeks come by, and that award doesn’t translate for the whole year. So we’re looking to keep it going.”
In addition to his team lead in goals, Johnston is tied with forward Joshua Bolma for a team-leading five points.
Goalkeeper Niklas Neumann also received the recognition, earning Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Week. Neumann had eight combined saves across the last two games, including a few highlights such as his momentum-shifting penalty kick save against Virginia and his multiple clutch second half saves against Georgetown.
Richardson’s goal came in the 30th minute when Georgetown’s goalkeeper failed to clear the ball past the redshirt senior. Richardson intercepted the pass and sunk the ball in the back of the net, giving the Terps their second and final goal of the afternoon.
On the first half of play against Georgetown, head coach Sasho Cirovski said he felt that was Maryland’s best half of soccer so far this season.
“I told the guys this is the standard of commitment and energy that we have to have moving forward,” Cirvoski said. “That’s the way we need to play and hopefully, we can take that 45 [minutes] … and eventually make it a 90 minute effort.”
The second half brought some tough moments. Georgetown recorded 13 shots compared to the five they had in the first half. The Hoyas began to bring more pressure, pushing the ball down the field and forcing Neumann to make tough saves.
The Terps’ offense took a big step back in the second half, putting pressure on the Terps to close out the match down the stretch. Maryland only recorded four shot attempts and did not have the same fire it showed through the first 45 minutes of play.
On the other side, Michigan is looking to build off its 2-1 victory over Detroit its last time out. The Wolverines recorded 18 shots compared to just eight for Detroit, dominating the tempo offensively.
Despite the win, Michigan’s season has not shown them to be a dominant team in the Big Ten. Some tough losses against then-No. 17 Duke and Marquette saw the Wolverines get shut out 3-0 in both contests.
The Wolverines have only scored three goals this season. Forward Christian Pulselli and midfielders Quin Rogers and Bryce Blevins have found the back of the net this season, the only Wolverines to do so.
Despite its lackluster offense, Michigan’s strong 2-1-1 home record indicates the Wolverines will come out of the gates with confidence. This game will be a true test for Maryland as it enters a crucial portion of the season.
“There will be a lot of energy, a lot of quality on the field on both sides, and we expect a very tough game,” Cirovsky said.
The match will take place on Friday at 6:30 p.m. in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
