After a stressful and disappointing 1-0 loss to Michigan State on Saturday - the third time in six games the Terps had failed to score this season - a determined men's soccer squad came aggressively out of the locker room and went on the attack early. In front of the smallest home crowd of the season and the middle of a four game home stand, the Terps, in desperate need of goals and a win got both edging the Dayton Flyers 1-0 at Ludwig Field in College Park.
First Half
Dayton opened with the ball but it was Maryland that developed the first opportunity. The build up began in the fifth minute down the right side and ended with a good look from David Kabelik but Dayton goalkeeper Chris Froschauer had a good look at the ball and made the save.
Prized freshman George Campbell, who has yet to score in his college career, played with a fire and intensity that Maryland fans have been waiting to see. Campbell got shots off in the 14th and 18th minutes and helped set up a good attempt by Mael Coboz in the 25th minute.
Maryland had a bit of a scare in the 13th minute on one of the few successful Dayton forays into their offensive half. They Flyers didn't particularly threaten to score but the scare came when Zack Steffen collided with a Dayton player when the Terps' goalkeeper came off his line to pick off an attempted cross. The collision left Steffen on the ground for a bit over a minute before being able to rejoin the fray.
Campbell's assertiveness paid off in the 31st minute. Attacking down the left side of the Flyers' defense, Campbell drove the ball into the box and was tripped on his run drawing the Terrapins' first penalty kick of the year. Rutgers transfer Mael Corboz converted and Maryland fans heard Ole Ole for the first time since the Terps' 3-2 win over Coastal Carolina on the first of September.
In the 33rd minute, a Dayton foul nearly led to a second Maryland goal. The Terps played the ball in from about three yards out from the deep right corner and though they failed to get a shot off on the service, Dayton failed to clear the ball and Eric Carbajal got off a clean header that caromed off the post. A fast recovery by a Flyers' defender prevented Tsubasa Endoh from picking up the carom two yards in front of an otherwise open goal.
For the half, the Terrapins out shot the Flyers 8-2 and held a 3-0 edge in corner kicks.
Second half
The assault on Dayton's goal continued in the second half with the Terps pressing forward at every opportunity. A corner kick in the 52nd minute led to two Dan Metzger shots. The second was a header that went barely wide after the Flyers' defense had blocked the first. The combination left the sparse crowd stunned that somehow neither of the shots found the net.
By the 75th minute, Maryland had launched another eight shots to Dayton's two. Maryland coach Sasho Cirovski shortened his bench considerably compared with his rotation in the season's first six contests using only three players in addition to his starting lineup. The extended playing time and the energy expended seemed to take its toll on the Terps as they didn't manage another shot on goal for the remainder of the contest.
As the game wore on, Dayton's frustration grew. The Flyers picked up five yellow cards to add to the two they had received in the first half.
In the end, the Terps came away with the much needed 1-0 win. They will return to B1G action Friday September 26th when the Wisconsin Badgers come to College Park.