Maryland and Akron face off for the top spot in men’s college soccer Sunday night, meeting at 5 p.m. in Santa Barbara to play for the NCAA College Cup.
The postseason has been a redemption series for the Terps, who started 4-5-3 after exiting in the first round of the tournament for two straight seasons. But Maryland found a second wind, pulling together an 8-1-1 finish to clinch a top rank and seeding for the College Cup. Now, the team is poised to take its fourth College Cup in school history, but standing in its way is Akron, an unranked underdog that has cruised through top competition to the final.
Akron dominated Michigan State 5-1 on Friday to clinch its place in the championship game, with five different players finding the back of the net in a well-balanced rout. Goalkeeper Ben Lundt made five saves to fend off the Maryland comeback, allowing a sole goal in the final 10 minutes of the game. The Zips placed only seven shots on frame, but five of those shots flew past the keeper’s hands, landing Akron in the final with the chance to win its second national championship in program history.
After a slow start, Maryland put away Indiana to advance to the finals in a 2-0 victory with goals from Matt di Rosa and Donovan Pines. Both sides remained stagnant on offense, with the Terps only having to fend off three total shots on goal over the course of the game.
Despite its prolific scoring — averaging three goals a game so far in the tournament — Akron entered the tournament unranked. Maryland, in comparison, entered ranked No. 11 overall and took a bye in the first round. Although its offense has been slightly less explosive, the Terps haven’t allowed a single goal in three games of tournament play.
Who: University of Maryland vs. University of Akron
When: Dec. 9, 5 p.m. PT
Where: Harder Stadium, University of California at Santa Barbara
How to watch: ESPNU