Maryland men’s soccer vs. Saint Francis (PA) preview

Maryland men’s soccer controlled 77 minutes of Friday’s contest against Bucknell, creating 16 shot attempts and nine on frame. The short span they didn’t dominate is what ultimately cost them all three points, though.

With forwards Stephane Njike and Sadam Masareka using their blistering speed on the wing, the Terps’ attacking trio wreaked havoc on the Bison backline. However, several of those quality looks produced were squandered, in large part due to goalie Freddie Lapworth’s seven-save performance.

On the other side, Bucknell was more opportunistic with their limited spell of possession, capitalizing on chances that were few and far to be seen. But set pieces were the deciding factor. The Bison converted their penalty — something Maryland failed to do — and scored the equalizer in the 85th off an inviting corner.

The Terps have shown promising signs over their first two games against quality opponents. Their next two contests shouldn’t provide the same level of difficulty, allowing Maryland to build some momentum heading into Big Ten play.

Monday’s contest against Saint Francis (PA) will be an opportunity to make amends for the Terps’ heartbreaking tie. That game begins at 7 p.m. and can be streamed on Big Ten Plus.

Saint Francis Red Flash (0-2, 0-0-0 Northeast Conference)

2024 record: 7-7-2, 5-2-1 Northeast Conference

When Mads Kaiser was elevated to the head coach position at Saint Francis, the program’s expectations were relatively low after consecutive seasons without a winning record. Kaiser quickly shattered anything he had envisioned for his opening year, with the Red Flash’s first-ever unbeaten season. Saint Francis crashed out in the conference tournament.

However, Saint Francis took a giant step back last season. After winning the NEC regular season title in 2023, the Red Flash regressed back to their norm. Saint Francis’s unbeaten run reached 16 games before losing three in a row. It was never able to right the ship and ultimately finished third in the conference.

Saint Francis’s struggles have persisted to this year, resulting in its first season-opening loss since 2021. The Red Flash have been held off the scoreboard in both games this season: a 3-0 loss on the road to Xavier and a 1-0 defeat against St. Bonaventure. 

Players to know

Alex De Nittis, junior forward, No. 11 — Saint Francis lost 89 percent of its offensive production from last season, with several key departures. Of the eight players who scored a goal, just two returned: De Nittis and forward Andre Israel. The German product scored two goals and dished out three assists, but has yet to find the back of the net this season.

Jonah Wolf, sophomore midfielder, No. 6 — Wolf is one of three players from last year’s starting lineup back on the roster, and he was a regular once he settled in. The standout freshman was named to the All-NEC Rookie Team with an assist in nine starts. While he has yet to appear this season, Wolf’s return will be huge for a struggling team.

Andre Israel, senior forward, No. 17 — In his first three years with the Red Flash, Israel racked up two goals and an assist. The Maryland native has made 34 appearances, including eight starts last season. Despite failing to record a shot in the first two games this year, Israel has been a proven threat in the attacking half.

Strength

Young roster. While Saint Francis has had a rough start to the season, the future of the program is there. The Red Flash have 12 freshmen rostered and will only graduate three players after this season. Those young players will have plenty of chances to crack the rotation and gain experience throughout the year.

Weakness

Goalscoring. Saint Francis has registered 15 shots in its first two games, seven on goal. But the Red Flash have nothing to show for it. Maryland’s stout defense — who has yet to allow a goal from the run of play — should give Saint Francis some trouble on Monday.

Three things to watch

1. First home win. The Terps were five minutes away from a victory at Ludwig Field on Friday, but were unable to hold off the late equalizer. Maryland has two more chances as part of its three-game homestand to record a win in College Park.

2. How do the Terps close out the halves? Head coach Sasho Cirovski’s main point of emphasis in Friday’s postgame interview was Maryland’s inability to close out the first and second half. The Terps allowed a goal in the 37th minute and 85th minute, which halted their momentum heading into the break. Maryland will need to clean it up if it hopes for a deep postseason run.

3. First meeting. The Terps and Saint Francis’s soccer programs have coexisted for 38 years, but the two have never met before. Monday’s contest could be the first of many clashes, kickstarting a new rivalry