Separated by only nine miles, the rivalry between Maryland men’s soccer and No. 25 Georgetown dates back to 1952. While the Terps won the first 22 meetings, they’ve lost six of the last nine clashes, including last year’s 2-0 defeat at Ludwig Field.
For 63 minutes on Monday night, Maryland’s offense was on track to be held scoreless once again. Pinned in its own half for the majority of the game, the Terps relied on counterattacks to supply any threatening chances they could muster.
And after 63 fruitless
minutes, that formula finally delivered.
Midfielder Albi Ndrenika played the ball wide to forward Stephane Njike on the right flank. Without any hesitation, the LIU transfer dumped the ball behind the Hoyas’ backline, and forward Sadam Masereka was there to receive the pass. Masereka chipped goalie Tenzing Manske and the ball scurried into the back of the net for Maryland’s lone goal of the game.
While the score was largely against the run of play, it didn’t matter. Masereka’s timely finish combined with a career-high six-save effort from Laurin Mack in goal propelled Maryland to a 1-0 victory at Shaw Field.
“[Mack] made some terrific saves, we had very good box defending and we got the first goal,” head coach Sasho Cirovski said. “In the majority of our games against Georgetown, the first goal seems to be very critical.”
The win was just the Terps’ second at Georgetown since joining the Big Ten and kickstarted the team’s official 2025 campaign on a positive note.
Masereka’s goal may go down as the game-winner, but Maryland wouldn’t have been in the position to take the lead if it wasn’t for Mack’s stellar play. The sophomore netminder — who was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team last season — built off that strong year with lockdown performance in the season opener.
Mack was routinely tested by Georgetown attackers, whether it was off misplayed balls in the back or dangerous long-range efforts. But the German was up for the challenge on every instance.
The Hoyas’ best chance of the night came in the 23rd minute, when midfielder Zach Zengue fired his effort off the crossbar — the lone shot which likely would have passed Mack’s outstretched gloves.
While Maryland’s backline may not have been as sturdy as it was Thursday night — it allowed just one shot on goal that Mack easily saved — nothing was getting past the young goalkeeper in this contest.
“He was the man of the match because he managed the game very well, his distribution was very good, but also he made the key saves,” Cirovski said. “That’s very inspiring to a team when you are playing a good team at their place in a wonderful environment.”
Despite being the better side for 90 minutes, Georgetown couldn’t find the game’s opening goal. The Terps needed just one chance to outdo a largely defensive spell.
Without midfielder Leon Koehl and forward Colin Griffith for a second consecutive game, Maryland was overpowered in the middle. The Terps struggled to hold onto possession and were dominated in that regard, allowing the Hoyas to pin possession in Maryland’s defensive half.
Three things to know
1. Clinical finishing. The Terps had just two shots on frame in the opening half and finished with five total. But Masereka’s cheeky chip over the goalkeeper’s head provided the only damage and attacking support needed for Mack in goal.
“Second half of last year he was terrific and he started off on a front foot this year already,” Cirovski said. “He got a goal against Wake, it was a terrific goal. Of course, it didn’t count so it was just reward for him to find a way to get the goal tonight.”
2. Strong start. Maryland has largely struggled in its season openers, failing to record a victory since 2022. Last season, the Terps dropped two points in a 1-1 tie against UMBC, a rather disappointing result. Maryland was able to build off a strong 45-minute performance against No. 6 Wake Forest and secure all three points.
3. Home opener ahead. The Terps’ fanbase, known as “The Crew,” is largely regarded as one of the best in the country with its ability to pack Ludwig Field routinely. Maryland returns home on Friday night to take on an up-and-coming Bucknell squad at 7:30 p.m., giving “The Crew” its first in-person glimpse at the 2025 Terps.
