That Sinking Feeling...Again

Nothing can come close in reality to the dagger Korie Lucious threw in to Terrapin's fans hearts last March. But last night felt pretty darn bad, and it was Michigan State delivering the blow to Maryland again, this time in soccer.

Maryland played terribly all game and trailed 2-0 for most of it deservedly. The Terps could not finish chances, they could not play any defense on the back line, and All-World goalkeeper Zac MacMath had what may have been his worst game in goal as a Terp.

And then with under fifteen minutes left, all hell broke loose at Ludwig Field.

The Terps somehow came up with goal off of an awarded penalty kick and a scissor-kick goal within minutes of each other. Suddenly, after trailing by two for the entire game, the Terps had salvaged a draw at least, and one had to feel good about the chances to score a goal in extra time for a win.

Maryland didn't wait for extra time when they added one more with under a minute to play in regulation. Cue pandemonium in the stands. People falling over, everyone screaming, objects flying, and men embracing more than some should. Life was good.

Goal, Michigan State. Nine seconds later.

The rest is history as the Terps missed a golden opportunity in extra time which was immediately turned around down the field with a floating, golden goal for the Spartans.

At the end of the day, it's not the end of the season. It's one game. But as my buddy Stro pointed out, the Terps seem to have a way of going in the post-season as their opening game of the year goes. Everyone is to blame. All of the players were pretty poor in performance, and though Sasho has brought two national championships to Maryland, he has to get some of the blame for not being able to have a team focused and composed enough to close out a game with under a minute left, much less a direct goal in nine seconds.

As that final goal floated through the air, I could not help but have that same disgusting, sinking feeling as I did when Lucious daggered Maryland back in March, even if it didn't mean nearly as much. There's nothing to do now but put the trust in Sasho to right the ship and refocus the team, which he will. Sunday will be a completely different story.