Four former Maryland men’s soccer standouts have been tagged to the 30-man preliminary United States Men’s National Team roster for the upcoming 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil in June, announced by head coach Jurgen Klinsmann Monday.

Maurice Edu, Omar Gonzalez, Clarence Goodson and Graham Zusi have all landed on the heralded roster. A total of 16 players in the pool attended college and no other program in the country boasted more than one player on the roster.

“We are thrilled to congratulate Maurice, Omar, Clarence and Graham on this outstanding accomplishment and we are ecstatic they will have the chance to represent the United States on soccer’s biggest soccer stage,” head coach Sasho Cirovski said. “It gives our program a great sense of pride to have four former players named to this star-studded roster and, on behalf of Terp Nation, we wish them the best of luck at training camp.”

The 30 players will begin reporting to pre-World Cup camp on the campus of Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif., on Wednesday. Klinsmann must whittle the 30-man roster down to 23 and submit his official World Cup roster to FIFA by June 2.

Senior forward Patrick Mullins put an exclamation point on arguably the most decorated career in Maryland men’s soccer history when he captured a second straight MAC Hermann Trophy Friday night.

The Missouri Athletic Club’s (MAC) Hermann Trophy is presented to the best female and male players in NCAA Division I soccer. The winners were decided by a vote of NCAA Division I soccer coaches that are current members of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), along with a weighted fan vote hosted at the MAC’s website hosted by LockerDome.

Mullins becomes the first Terrapin and the seventh player to win back-to-back Hermann Trophies, joining the likes of National Soccer Hall of Famer Al Trost (1969-70) and former U.S. Women’s National Team forward Mia Hamm (1992-93). Mullins capped his senior campaign with 46 points on 19 goals and eight assists. His point and goal totals are both tied for the fifth-highest single season records in Maryland history.

Mullins finished his career second in Terp men’s soccer history with 47 goals and 119 points. He is a two-time First Team All-Atlantic Coast Conference player; a two-time All-ACC Championship Most Valuable Player; a two-time NSCAA All-American; and a 2013 College Cup All-Tournament Team honoree. Mullins led the Terps to a nation-best 13th straight NCAA Round-of-16 in 2013, and captured the ACC regular season and tournament titles for the second consecutive season.

Today was a very tough day for any Terrapin fan especially ones like myself who follow the soccer program so closely. 3 handballs in a one game and all of them missed by the referees? Are you kidding me? Then to hear Patrick Mullins admit to using his hand to help his 1st goal and emotionally apologizing for doing so was heartbreaking. But what a totally classy and honest admission by Maryland’s superstar.  Here are his comments and Sasho’s post game.

On the play leading to his goal: (Patrick)

“That was definitely a crazy play. A lot of things happened in a short period of time. From what I can remember, a cross came in, our player – I’m pretty sure [Alex] Shinsky – had a great shot. It did hit the kid’s hand on the line, it bounced out, came back out and I made a mistake on my part. I’m very disappointed in myself for doing that, but in the heat of the moment, I hit it down my hand, and like any good forward, I put it in the net. That’s not who I am, and I’m very disappointed in how that play resulted. All I can control is my actions, and I’m not happy with that action. It’s definitely hard for me to swallow because I don’t think that’s the type of player I am. Obviously the referee is a great referee, and I’m sure he’ll look back unfortunately on that play, too, because it was just a lot of plays that I’m sure players and refs will want to take back. I will regret that one for the rest of my life, but I’ll move forward. People make mistakes.”

On Patrick Mullins and his admission to a handball: (Sasho)

“When we build my stadium, we’re going to bronze a statue of him in the front because he’s made of the best stuff on Earth. It affected him. It affected him a lot after that moment. We had some good talks. I think he tried to push through, and I think he did push through in true Patrick Mullins fashion. But it did affect him because he is as good as it gets. He is a very tough person, as we’ve seen throughout the year. His conscience was hurting. He put too much on himself. There were many players that had intentional handballs in the game. It’ll be a learning lesson for him, but his character shining through is worthy of a championship. He’s a special person. He represents our program well.”

Neither guilty Notre Dame player admitted their guilt but it was all there on the videotape. Here is the bottom line: the most blatant violation  was committed by Notre Dame before Patrick’s goal. Play should have been halted, Maryland awarded a penalty kick, and guilty player ejected from the contest.  Maryland would have been a man up for the game. But pathetic efforts from the refs changed the course and possibly the outcome of the game.

As I watched Patrick in the 2nd half, he just didn’t seem to be himself. Obviously he was affected by the play. Patrick will one day be in Maryland’s Hall of Fame, play for the USA and possibly even play in the premier league. He is that good of a player and one of the finest young gentlemen ever to wear the Maryland colors.

At the end of the day Notre Dame’s superior size did the Terps in. Goalie Zack Steffen was voted the most outstanding defensive player of the tournament. Hats off to Sasho and his guys for another tremendous season —- ACC Championship and the National runner up is a great season. But Terp Nation is still sick to its stomach today.

It was only a 90 drive to PPL Park in Philadephia but the ride home seemed much longer. The whole ride home my dislike for the ACC weighed on my mind.

 

 

Patrick Mullins scored two spectacular goals to lead the Maryland men’s soccer team past rival Virginia 2-1 in the 2013 NCAA College Cup semifinals at PPL Park Friday night.

The Terrapins (17-3-5) will advance to their sixth national title game against Notre Dame on Sunday. Zack Steffen backed up Mullins with an outstanding night between the sticks, stopping five Cavalier shots.   

After an even start, Mullins opened the scoring in the 11th minute with a beautiful 20-yard chip. Mikias Eticha served a ball over the top that Mullins latched onto and flicked above an onrushing Calle Brown for his 17th goal of the season.

Head Coach Sasho Cirovski

 

Senior Patrick Mullins was involved in both goals as the No. 8 Maryland men’s soccer team defeated No. 23 Tulsa, 2-1, at Ludwig Field Tuesday night.

The Terrapins (4-2-3, 3-0-1 ACC) dominated play against the Golden Hurricane (5-4-1) for most of the night. Mullins and freshman Michael Sauers sparked a Terrapin offense that outshot Tulsa, 16-11, and earned 10 corner kicks.

 

Sophomore David Kabelik’s second half equalizer salvaged a 1-1 draw for the No. 8 Maryland men’s soccer team against Old Dominion at Ludwig Field Tuesday night. The Terrapins (2-2-3, 2-0-1 ACC) controlled possession for most of the game, but had a tough time breaking through a stingy Monarch (3-2-1) defense. Freshman Alex Crognale’s own goal gave ODU its only tally.

I was at the game last night and certainly felt the same frustration Sasho did.The Terps dominated virtually the entire game but just could not score. Ups to the crew who for 2 hours of game time never stopped singing and chanting.

 

FC Dallas
8-3-6 Record, Second place – Western Conference

London Woodberry – Homegrown Signee 2013
Eight games played, three starts
Follow on Twitter @LondonWoodberry

Chris Seitz – Fourth Overall Selection 2007 (RSL)
Two games played, two starts
Five saves, 1 GA
2-0-0 Record
Follow on Twitter @Seitzy1

Real Salt Lake
10-5-3 Record, First place – Western Conference

John Stertzer – 12th Overall Selection 2013
Two games played
Follow on Twitter @StertzerJohn

Portland Timbers
7-1-9 record, Third place – Western Conference

Rodney Wallace – Sixth Overall Selection 2009 (DC United)
14 games played, nine starts
Four goals, five assists
Will compete for Costa Rica in CONCACAF Gold Cup next month
Follow on Twitter @rodwallace22

LA Galaxy
7-7-3 Record, Fifth place – Western Conference

A.J. Delagarza – 19th Overall Selection 2009
17 games played, 17 starts
Follow @AJD_20

Robbie Rogers – Signed with SC Heerenveen 2007
Six games played, three starts
Follow on Twitter @robbierogers

Omar Gonzalez – Third Overall Selection 2009
13 games played, 13 starts
One assist
Follow on Twitter @Omar4Gonzalez

Toronto FC 
2-8-6 record, Ninth place – Eastern Conference

Jeremy Hall – 11th Overall Selection 2009 (NYRB)
16 games played, 16 starts
One goal, One assist
Follow on Twitter @JeremyHall17

Dan Califf – Sixth Overall Selection 2000 (LA Galaxy)
Four games played, four starts
Follow on Twitter @DannyCaliff

Philadelphia Union
7-5-5 record, Third place – Eastern Conference

Matt Kassel – Homegrown Signee 2011 (NYRB)
One game played
Follow on Twitter @MattKassel

Zac MacMath – Fifth Overall Selection 2011
17 games played, 17 starts
49 saves, 26 GA
7-5-5 record
Follow on Twitter @ZacMacMath

Sporting Kansas City
7-5-5 record, Fourth place –  Eastern Conference

Graham Zusi – 23rd Overall Selection 2009
15 games played, 15 starts
Three goals, five assists
Follow on Twitter @gzusi

DC United
2-12-3 record, 10^th place – Eastern Conference

Casey Townsend – Fifth Overall Selection 2012 (Chivas USA)
Six games played, three starts

Ethan White – Homegrown Signee 2010
Seven games played, six starts
Follow on Twitter @EthanWhite15

Taylor Kemp – 17th Overall Selection 2013
Follow on Twitter @TKemp02

San Jose Earthquakes

Clarence Goodson – Seventh Overall Selection 2007 (FC Dallas)
Signed June 28, 2013
Recently named to CONCACAF Gold Cup Team for USA

An early trip to the West Coast highlights an 18-game slate for the 2013 Maryland men’s soccer season, head coach Sasho Cirovski announced Monday.

Maryland – which boasted the top scoring offense in the nation in 2012 – will be tested early and often with matches against a total of 10 NCAA tournament teams from last season on the docket.

Following a pair of exhibitions at Penn State (Aug. 20) and against St. John’s (Aug. 24), Maryland officially opens the season with a trip to California for a match at Stanford (Aug. 30) and Cal (Sept. 1).

The Terps open conference play early on when it welcomes Duke Friday, Sept. 6 before taking on VCU Sept. 8.

Maryland then hits the road for two important conference tests at North Carolina Sept. 13 and Clemson Sept. 21.

The 2012 ACC champions return home to the friendly confines of Ludwig Field for their longest home stretch of year with games against Old Dominion (Sept. 24), new ACC member Pittsburgh (Sept. 27), Tulsa (Oct. 1) and Boston College (Oct. 4).

The Terps then head to Notre Dame for a midweek ACC contest against the Fighting Irish Oct. 8 and travel to rival-Virginia Oct. 12.

Ludwig Field plays host to a stretch of three home games in a week when the Terps welcome Marshall (Oct. 15), Wake Forest (Oct. 19) and Drexel (Oct. 22).

Maryland tangles with the third new member of the ACC – Syracuse – in upstate New York Oct. 26 before wrapping up the regular season with a pair of Friday night matches against NC State (Nov. 1) and at Virginia Tech (Nov. 7).

 

The Maryland men’s soccer team wraps up a successful spring slate with a weekend full of activities, beginning Friday.

Saturday, Ludwig Field will be the place to be for all things Maryland soccer as the Alumni Game kicks off at noon prior to the Terps facing Akron in their final spring contest at 2:30 p.m. Both events are free to the public.

Below is a recap of the Terps’ spring season thus far.

March 10 – D.C. United 3, Maryland 1 (Mullins)

March 31 – Maryland 2, Richmond Kickers 1 (Jane, Mullins)

April 5 – Maryland 5, Harrisburg City Islanders 1 (Kabelik, Mullins, Tshuma, Jane, OWN)

April 21 – Maryland 3, St. John’s 1 (Tshuma (2), Mullins)

April 21 – Maryland 1, Delaware 0 (Kabelik)

 No. 2 Maryland advanced to its 12th College Cup in program history with a 3-1 victory over No. 10 Louisville in the quarterfinals of the 2012 NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship Saturday.

Memo-37 Sasho, Taylor Kemp, and Patrick Mullins post game audio

A raucous Ludwig Field crowd enjoyed goals from London Woodberry, Jake Pace andPatrick Mullins as the Terrapins (20-1-2) avenged last season’s NCAA tournament loss to the Cardinals (14-6-1). The Terps will face local rival Georgetown in the NCAA semifinals in Hoover, Ala., Friday at 5 p.m.

Maryland showed its intent in the opening 30 seconds of the match when freshman Schillo Tshuma’s bicycle kick attempt was punched over the bar by Louisville keeper Mike Mauro.

The Terrapins continued to pour on the pressure and Woodberry cashed in, scoring his third goal of the season off a Taylor Kemp cross in the 34th minute. The goal was the senior centerback’s first since he knocked in two tallies in a 3-2 win over College of Charleston on September 29.

My Take: Sasho and Patrick Mullins bothe commented how crucial the return of defender Taylor Kemp was.  Please nobody kid themselves–this was total domination by Maryland. Sasho used his bench power to wear down Louisville to where their scoring chances in the 2nd half were non existent. Final Fours can never be taken lightly. Maryland is just 2 wins away from an NCAA Title. Next up Georgetown next Friday night in Alabama.