Fresh off its first win of the season, Maryland men’s soccer (1-1-1) will welcome Virginia to Ludwig Field on Labor Day for what Terps’ head coach Sasho Cirovski called the “best rivalry in college soccer.”
The teams have played 85 times over the years, including several matchups at Audi Field in Washington, D.C.
The contest is undoubtedly circled on Maryland’s schedule as an opportunity to make a statement about where it stands in 2024.
Virginia Cavaliers (2-1, 0-0 ACC)
The Cavs entered 2024 ranked No. 13 in the country on the heels of a season in which they went 11-4-4 and made the second round of the NCAA tournament.
An upset loss to Colgate in its second game of the season sent Virginia out of a spot in the rankings, though. Still, the Cavaliers responded to the loss with a dominant 5-0 win over Saint Joseph’s, and they clearly possess the talent to be Maryland’s most dangerous opponent thus far.
Virginia head coach George Gelnovatch and Cirovski are plenty familiar with each other, with a combined 59 years of experience at their respective programs.
Players to watch
Reese Miller, junior defender, No. 19 — Miller was a consistent starter for the Cavs in 2023 and has already surpassed his goal contribution numbers from the previous season. Similarly to William Kulvik, he netted a brace from the back line in their recent win over Saint Joseph’s and notched an assist in the season opener.
Daniel Mangarov, graduate midfielder, No. 10 — Mangarov is a veteran presence in Virginia’s midfield. He takes many of its set pieces and has proven himself capable of providing great service from those situations. He has already scored and provided an assist in 2024.
Hayes Wood, graduate forward, No. 7 — Wood is a graduate transfer from Lipscomb, where he was consistently one of the best forwards in the Atlantic Sun conference. Wood earned his first start as a Cavalier in their last game against Saint Joseph’s and rewarded Gelnovatch with a goal.
Strength
Experience. The Cavaliers have more than 20 upperclassmen on their roster, many of whom are returning from a team that accomplished a lot in one of college soccer’s toughest conferences last year.
Weakness
Forwards. It is possible that Gelnovatch has found his solution in Wood, but so far, the Cavs have lacked a true striker to lead the line. Neither member of their starting strike partnership from their first two games, Cesar Cordova and Triton Beauvois, has found the back of the net.
Three things to watch
1. Fluke or turning point? Maryland looked like a new team in its 5-2 win over Detroit Mercy on Friday night. This match will be its opportunity to prove whether that win was simply an overmatched opponent or emblematic of something larger.
2. How will the back line perform? Much of Maryland’s strength in the early going has come from the performance of its back four, led by Kulvik. The unit is still awaiting the return of veteran Bjarne Theisen, but could greatly aid Maryland’s hopes of a win by holding a shutout or conceding a single goal. Though the offense looked more dangerous against Detroit Mercy, relying on the Terps’ attack to score more than one or two goals doesn’t feel like a recipe for success.
3. Continued recovery. Cirovski has repeatedly emphasized the importance of the return of players like Albi Ndrenika to Maryland’s success. The impact was apparent with Ndrenika’s goal and an assist from Max Riley — also back from injury — on Friday night. Cirovski also said Ndrenika won’t be fully healthy for several weeks, so how much he allows him to play will be something to monitor.
