The long-time ACC rivalry between No. 10 Virginia and No. 6 Maryland will be rekindled tomorrow when the Cavaliers travel to College Park, Md.
This contest is a must-win for Maryland (10-4-1, 4-2-1 ACC), the 2008 ACC Tournament champions, as the Terrapins seek to score their first regular season ACC title. Currently, Wake Forest leads the conference with a 4-1-1 record; a Maryland victory, however, would tie the Demon Deacons for first place. Coming into tomorrow's game, the Terrapins most recently lost 0-1 to Wake Forest, as they could not recover from an early Deacon goal by midfielder Luke Norman, and will need to find success against Virginia if they wish to make up lost ground.
The Terrapin offense is led by junior forward Jason Herrick, who leads the ACC in game-winning scores with six. Maryland also has been able to distribute the ball well - 12 different players have delivered assists this season.
Defensively, the Terrapins have shut out six teams, mostly because of the strong play of sophomore goalkeeper Zac MacMath. With the departure of All-American Omar Gonzalez, Rodney Wallace and A.J. DeLaGarza to the MLS, however, the backline has struggled at times. The 2009 squad has relied a great deal on freshmen defenders to aid experienced senior backs Kevin Tangney and Kwame Darko.
To defeat the Terrapins, Virginia must take advantage of this uncertainty in Maryland's backline and capitalize on its scoring opportunities. Fresh off a 2-0 win against Boston College at home, coach George Gelnovatch and the Cavaliers (10-3-1, 3-3 ACC) will look to continue their three-game winning streak.
"I think it was one of our most, if not the most, complete game we've played from start to finish," Gelnovatch said of the squad's victory against the Golden Eagles.
Virginia recently has increased its scoring production, scoring seven of its total 20 goals this season in the past three games. Freshman forward Will Bates in particular has helped revitalize the Cavalier offense, notching five goals in the team's last four contests.
Additionally, junior goalkeeper Diego Restrepo, who has shut out six teams and holds an impressive 0.49 goals against average, will need to contain the Terrapins early in the match. They are 8-0 this season when they score first and hold the lead at halftime.
Even if the Cavaliers execute completely, though, winning at Ludwig Field could still prove difficult. Home field advantage is always a factor, especially in tense rivalry matches with conference implications.
"It's a very, very tough place to play," Gelnovatch said. "It's pretty hectic and the dimensions of the field are a little bit smaller than we're used to. Maryland's an athletic, aggressive, pressing team. So generally the games there, with the crowds that they get, become pretty animated."
Last season, Maryland won both meetings against Virginia, including a 2-1 win in Charlottesville and a 1-0 shutout in the ACC championship game. The Terrapins lead the all-time series, 36-25-7, claiming seven of the last 10 contests.
"As coach is stressing, we can't take it lightly," freshman forward Ahkeel Rodney said. "We have a good record and we're doing good right now, so we just can't let down"
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