No. 12 Maryland (9-2-1) vs. Pacific (6-3-1)
Saturday, October 16, 2021
Ludwig Field
7:00 pm EDT
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The No. 12 Maryland men's soccer team plays its penultimate home match of the season Saturday night at Ludwig Field against Pacific. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m., and fans can watch the action live on Big Ten Plus.
Maryland is coming off a 1-0 victory over Delaware on Tuesday.
Ben Bender scored the game winner in the first overtime period to lift the Terps to their ninth win of the season. Maryland has won two consecutive matches.
THIS WEEK'S STORYLINES
JOIN THE CREW/Fan information
- The opening match against Charlotte marked the return of Maryland's famous student-section "The Crew" after an absence of 644 days. The notorious student fan group has established itself as the most well known college soccer fan section in the nation.
- Members of The Crew receive access to scarf and shirt giveaways along with special access to road match trips. To sign up for The Crew, click here.
- Maryland already leads the country in cumulative and average attendance this season.
- Maryland plays in front of the most raucous atmosphere in college soccer at storied Ludwig Field. The Terps have ranked in the top eight in the nation in attendance in 18 straight seasons, including first in 2019. After the win against Charlotte, the Terps are 9-0-1 in their last nine home openers.
- Fully vaccinated guests are not required to wear a mask at outdoor athletic events. However, all attendees will be required to wear a mask or face-covering in any indoor space, including suites and restrooms, regardless of vaccination status, unless actively consuming food or beverage. In compliance and coordination with public health guidance, COVID-19 data, and our county mandates, the University of Maryland requires unvaccinated individuals to wear a mask while outdoors in crowded spaces. Full updated COVID-19 protocols for Fall 2021
tuned up and ready
- Maryland went 2-0-1 in a three match exhibition slate. The Terps finished their dress rehearsal in style with a 2-1 victory over ACC favorite No. 3 Pittsburgh on Saturday night. Goals from junior Hunter George and Joe Suchecki propelled the Terps to the victory.
- The weekend prior, the Terps drew Temple, led by former assistant coach Brian Rowland, 2-2 at Ludwig Field before defeating Lehigh, 3-1, in Philadelphia.
- In the preseason polls, Maryland was just outside of the top-25 according to the United Soccer Coaches poll, getting the highest amount of votes of any team not included in the ranking. The Terps were picked to finish fourth in the Big Ten by the conference's head coaches.
SCoUTING Pacific
- Pacific enters Saturday's contest tied for first in the WCC after a draw with Santa Clara. The Tigers recently upended No. 9 Loyola Marymount for their biggest win of the season.
- Maryland and Pacific have never faced off in men's soccer. The Tigers last NCAA Tournament appearance came in 2018.
B1G PLAYERS TO WATCH
- Brett St. Martin, Malcolm Johnston and Ben Bender were named Big Ten Players to Watch, the conference announced prior to the season.
- St. Martin, a team captain for the second consecutive season, has been a rock at the right-center back spot for the Terps since the beginning of his sophomore season. St. Martin has started 31 matches over the last two seasons and played every minute of his junior campaign. He was a second-team All-Big Ten selection last season.
- Johnston, a Big Ten All-Freshman Team selection in 2019, has tallied six goals and four assists over the course of his first two seasons in College Park. He will play a key role as a box-to-box midfield player for the Terps this in 2021.
- Bender burst onto the scene as a freshman last season, starting all 11 matches and scoring two goals en route to Big Ten All-Freshman Team honors. Bender dazzled with his creative flair as an attacking midfielder and looked primed to breakout into the national conversation in 2021.
SCHEDULE NOTES
- After a truncated Big Ten only slate for last season, Maryland returns to its normal schedule for the 2021 campaign. Home matchups with Charlotte (8/26), UMBC (8/29), Michigan (9/17), Rutgers (9/28), Northwestern (10/8) and Indiana (10/31) highlight the Ludwig slate.
- The Terps also will contest two notable road matches locally. The Terps will face Virginia at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., on Monday, Sept. 6 and travel to face Georgetown on Saturday Sept. 11 at 1 p.m.
