Maryland gets soccer title
Graham Zusi has been a member of Maryland’s two NCAA men’s soccer championship teams in the past four years. The latest one was the sweetest.
Zusi’s second-half goal gave second-seeded Maryland a 1-0 victory over 13th-seeded North Carolina in the NCAA College Cup championship game Sunday in Frisco, Texas.
Maryland (23-3-0) took the title in 2005 when Zusi was a freshman who contributed off the bench. This time, Zusi was one of the Terps’ senior leaders.
In the semifinals, the attacking mid-fielder notched the game’s only goal in extra time to beat St. John’s. Then, on the season’s biggest stage, Zusi came through again with the game’s lone goal.
“Both were special in their own ways,” Zusi said of his two national titles. “But I’m extra happy to be a part of this one.”
Maryland beat North Carolina (15-8-1) for the third time in as many meetings this season in the first all-Atlantic Coast Conference final in the 50- year history of the NCAA men’s soccer tournament. The Terrapins are 7-0-1 against North Carolina in the last eight matchups, with the Tar Heels last beating Maryland in October 2003.
Tar Heels defender Eddie Ababio blocked Jeremy Hall’s first shot, but Zusi blasted the rebound into the left corner from 18 yards out past North Carolina goalkeeper Brooks Haggerty.
Log into MyBuffalo to post a comment
MyBuffalo is the new social network from Buffalo.com. Your MyBuffalo account lets you comment on and rate stories at buffalonews.com. You can also head over to mybuffalo.com to share your blog posts, stories, photos, and videos with the community. Join now or learn more.
Reader comments