MM 8.15: Maryland men’s soccer picks up 2-0 win over American in Saturday’s exhibition match

Maryland men’s soccer trotted out to Ludwig Field on Saturday night, picking up a 2-0 shutout victory over American in an exhibition match. The contest marked the second of three preseason matches for the Terps this season.

Maryland opened its preseason slate Friday night against another local foe in VCU. Friday’s exhibition was closed to the public, but the Terps and the Rams drew at one goal apiece.

Head coach Sasho Cirovski’s squad started Saturday’s game without cracking the scoresheet, entering halftime knotted at zero with the Eagles. However, Maryland struck quickly in the second half. Senior forward Hunter George scored the game-winning goal in the 50th minute, and freshman forward Max Riley tapped in an insurance goal later in the game.

“It’s a good, really nice blend of hungry, returning, mature talent and a lot of youthful energy and ability,” Cirovski said in a release. “We treated the scrimmages a little bit more like training exercises, and to really evaluate some of the players’ qualities against a different opponent. When we play Marshall on Friday, we’ll put together what we feel might be our strongest lineup at this point, and we’ll get a rotation going in that game that looks good.”

Maryland, ranked No. 20 in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll, will play one more exhibition matchup — against No. 14 Marshall on Aug. 19 — before the results start to matter. The Terps begin their 2022 slate at home against the ninth-ranked New Hampshire Wildcats on Aug. 25 at 6 p.m.

In other news

Our football position group previews continued with an outlook for the defensive backs.

Former Maryland men’s lacrosse star and current Atlanta Falcon Jared Bernhardt caught a game-winning touchdown in the preseason as he strives to make the team’s roster.

Maryland football star wide receiver Rakim Jarrett, similarly to former Terp and All-Pro NFL receiver Stefon Diggs, relayed the importance of staying home to play for the Terps.

Maryland football had its annual crab feast this past weekend.

Redshirt junior defensive back Deonte Banks brought the energy as he was mic’d up during practice.

Carolina Panthers wideout DJ Moore returned to College Park to visit Maryland football head coach Michael Locksley’s program.

Former Maryland football players Chigoziem Okonkwo and Sam Okuayinonu both suited up in NFL uniforms for the first time with the Tennessee Titans.

Maryland women’s basketball is taking the week off from recruiting as the NCAA’s recruiting shutdown commenced.

Cirovski is feeling that a special season may be coming for his Maryland men’s soccer program.

Middlesbrough goalkeeper and former Terp Zack Steffen made an outstanding save Sunday.

Maryland women’s soccer faced Towson in an exhibition match Friday. Head coach Meg Ryan Nemzer’s first season is just three days away.

Former Maryland wide receiver DJ Turner scored a 35-yard touchdown for the Las Vegas Raiders in the preseason.