Sports > October 9, 2008

By Connor Swarbrick | Sports editor

In a showdown of the best two teams in men’s college soccer the top-ranked, defending National Champion Deacons disposed of the No. 2 Maryland Terrapins with a 4-2 victory.

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Junior Nick Courtney battles a Virginia Tech player in the team’s recent home game Oct. 4. In the game, junior Cody Arnoux led the team with a hat trick to an 8-2 victory over the Hokies. (Andrew Imboden/Old Gold & Black)

The Terrapins (6-2-0) hosted the game, which was broadcast on the Fox Soccer Channel, in front of a record crowd of 6,500 at Ludwig Field. Few teams are able to prevail at Ludwig Field, but the Deacons out-shot the Terrapins 18-11. Nine of the Deacons’ shots were on goal compared to seven for Maryland.

The Terrapins sent the record crowd into a frenzy when they scored just 50 seconds into the match.

Rodney Wallace of Maryland crossed a ball from the left side of the box and found teammate Jason Herrick who headed the ball past junior Deacon Keeper Akira Fitzgerald 10 yards out from the net.

Senior Marcus Tracy was able to even the match at one a piece just minutes later at the 6:19 mark when he scored his seventh goal of the season.

Tracy received a pass on the right side of the box from sophomore Corben, Bone and he beat the Terrapin keeper driving the ball into the top of the net.

The Terrapins had no intention of rolling over. They retook the lead with 16:44 remaining in the first half. Casey Townsend scored an unassisted goal when he fired a shot from just outside the six-yard box that found the back of the net.

The Deacons knotted the scored at 2-2 in the 41st minute when freshman Danny Wenzel sent a ball from the near midfield in Ike sophomore Opara’s direction. The 6-foot-2-inch Opara used his head to beat the Terrapin goalkeeper, Will Swaim, who led the ACC in goals against average (0.25), and square the match. The second half began just as the first did, tied, but not for long. This time it was the Deacons who struck first.

Senior Mike Lahoud played a cross to Austin da Luz from the far right side of the field. Da Luz found a streaking junior Zack Schilawski down the middle of the field.

Schilawski fired from 10 yards out giving the Deacons a 3-2 advantage, their first lead of the contest.

The Deacons were able to extend their lead to two when Tracy found da Luz on the left side of the box with 31:49 remaining in the contest. Da Luz fired a shot from 16 yards out that found the back of the net for his second goal of the season.

Da Luz nearly added another goal with 23 minutes remaining when he sent a ball off the near post. The deflection was headed for the net when Omar Gonzalez cleared the ball.

Da Luz’s goal and assist in the highly anticipated match earned him ACC Men’s Soccer Player of the Week and Soccer America Men’s Player of the Week. Tracy and senior Lyle Adams have also earned the ACC honors this season. With the win the Deacons moved to 8-0-0, their best start to a season in school history.

Last year it was Elon who first blemished the team’s perfect 7-0 record and they would again try to play the role of spoiler this year.

The Deacons traveled to Elon (2-6-1) Oct. 1. The Phoenix were coming off three straight losses and looking to rebound with a big victory.

Head Coach Jay Vidovich told his players not to be fooled by Elon’s record that they were a dangerous team.

It was especially an interesting game for senior midfielder Jamie Franks, who lined up against his brother Brad Franks.