Shaky back line costly against the Cardinals The veteran group from Louisville was a preseason national title favorite and getting better. Maryland, in many respects young and unknown, couldn’t have started the year stronger but had been unraveling in recent weeks.
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Thus, the 12th-seeded Cardinals’ 4-2 triumph over the fifth-seeded Terrapins in the third round of the NCAA tournament in front of 2,660 at Ludwig Field was actually a fitting result, denying Maryland (14-4-3) a spot in the quarterfinals for the first time in four years after its best start to a season since 1968.
MLS prospects Colin Rolfe (goal, three assists) and Nick DeLeon (goal) helped the Cardinals (14-6-2) pick apart a Maryland defense that was without injured center back Alex Lee (thigh) and had freshman goalkeeper Keith Cardona making just his fourth career start.
“We had to reshuffle some players and had a makeshift back line,” Terps coach Sasho Cirovski said. “Against two of the best forwards in the country and a team that’s as experienced and efficient as Louisville, it was almost a little too much to ask for.”
Cardona, who replaced redshirt senior Will Swaim as a starter in the NCAA tournament, started each half with a spectacular save but was victimized by Maryland’s ineffective high pressure in front of him and his own indecisiveness.
There was little Cardona could do to stop DeLeon’s 19th-minute opener for the visitors. DeLeon burst through the Maryland defense for a one-time finish off an incisive pass from Rolfe.
Casey Townsend answered for the Terps 15 minutes later, appearing at the back post to nod home his 17th goal of the season and 43rd of his career, tying him with Abe Thompson (W.T. Woodson High) for third all time in program history.
Cardona opened the second half the same way he started the first. He made a stunning reaction save, this time diving to his left to deny Alexander Obbey’s leaping blast. But when a direct long ball got over the top of the Maryland defense again in the 52nd minute, Cardona stayed on his line and then was wrong-footed by Rolfe. He got both hands on the shot but couldn’t keep it from trickling over the line.
Matt Oduaran scored his first goal of the season to tie the score at 2-2 in the 68th minute, but the Terps were undone twice in the final 12 minutes on the counterattack by Rolfe, who fed Daniel Keller and Michael Roman to put the contest out of reach.
