Sasho

Maryland made the NCAA final four in men's soccer last fall for the first time since 1969, thanks partly to a defensive tip the U.S. under-18 women's national team coach gave coach Sasho Cirovski.Early this season, the two talked about midfield options for her new team -- Maryland's women. And nine days ago, Shannon Higgins-Cirovski returned from Tobacco Road with a 4-3, overtime win over then-No. 9-ranked Duke, her first win as coach in an Atlantic Coast Conference game.Unusual combination, Mr. and Mrs. Cirovski.

When Sasho Cirovski walked onto Maryland's campus in 1993 as the new men's soccer coach, he took one look at some of the antiquated facilities and said, "We're going to build a national championship program. " Since making that bold statement, the ninth-ranked Terps have won two NCAA titles, advanced to six College Cups and brought home four ACC championships. Cirovski, however, is still expanding his vision as he opens his 20th season Sunday against No. 12 Louisville. Cirovski has set a new goal for a state-of-the-art, soccer-specific stadium, seating 8,000 to10,000 on campus, within the next five years.

CARY, N.C. -- In 13 years of coaching soccer at the University of Maryland, Sasho Cirovski has tried to measure success in something other than wins and losses. He has campaigned for increased fan support. He has repeatedly pestered the athletic department for funding in an effort to make improvements to the Terps' stadium. He has lobbied - successfully, it's worth noting - for weekly broadcasts of college soccer games on national television. College Cup Maryland vs. New Mexico for NCAA men's soccer championship, today, 2 p.m. TV: ESPN2

COLLEGE PARK - - He keeps the picture in his office, on a shelf with mementos of the country's most dominant college soccer coach. All around are highlights of Sasho Cirovski's past, from the two national championships his Maryland teams have won to the 40 players they've furnished the pros. But that stuff pales next to Cirovski's treasure - a framed black-and-white photo of his family, circa 1969. It could have been taken during World War II. That's Cirovski in the foreground, in the rocky Macedonian village where he lived, a smallish boy with pursed lips and a resolute gaze far too focused for an ordinary 7-year-old.

COLLEGE PARK -- Shannon Cirovski, coach of the U.S. under-18 women's soccer team and wife of Maryland men's coach Sasho Cirovski, was named coach of the Terrapins women's team yesterday.Cirovski, 30, replaces Alan Kirkup, who resigned last month to accept a similar position at the University of Arkansas.A two-time first-team All-American, the former Shannon Higgins played collegiately at North Carolina, helping the Tar Heels to four NCAA titles and a four-year record of 89-0-6.The consensus national Player of the Year in 1989, she scored the game-winning goals in the 1987, 1988 and 1989 NCAA championship games.

Maryland received its fifth straight NCAA tournament bid yesterday and will play host to Richmond in the first round of the 32-team NCAA men's soccer tournament at Ludwig Field on Sunday at 2 p.m.The Terrapins (13-7), who have made the second round of the NCAA tournament the past three years, rolled to a 3-1 victory over Richmond (14-6-2) on Oct. 14, with Taylor Twellman scoring two goals. The winner will meet Duke or Jacksonville in the second round.Maryland is the fourth Atlantic Coast Conference entry in the tournament.

COLLEGE PARK -- Maryland men's soccer coach Sasho Cirovski was a spectator at the Final Four the previous four years, watching his colleagues grab the national spotlight while contemplating the fate of the Terrapins' numerous NCAATickets: $35 for semifinals and final; $20 for semis only.Road to final fourA look at how Maryland and Stanford advanced to the national semifinals (Maryland has yet to face a seeded team):MarylandRd. .. .. ... Opponent .. .. .. Result1st .. .. ... Richmond .. .. .. W, 2-12nd .. .. ... Jacksonville .. . W, 3-0Qtr.

Fallston High's Shane Dougherty, The Baltimore Sun Player of the Year in 1992, has signed to play soccer at Maryland, Terrapins head coach Sasho Cirovski announced yesterday.Dougherty also earned All-America honors from Parade magazine and the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. A native of Kingsville, he was a four-year starter at Fallston. He helped to lead Fallston to its first state championship in 1991 and finished as the school's career leader in assists (34) and was second all-time in scoring (70 points)

Passion for soccer drives Cirovski College Park -- Sasho Cirovski doesn't demand much, for college soccer in general and the University of Maryland in particular. Another NCAA title or three for a program that reached that pinnacle last December. Assorted cable networks battling for the rights to college matches. A new lacrosse/soccer facility here, perhaps named Trpe Stadium, which is not a typo. To achieve his dreams, Cirovski plays up the CEO smarts that he honed while earning an MBA and redirects the passion that produced red cards from his playing days to the 2002 NCAA semifinals.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The No. 6 seeded Maryland men's soccer team lost to Duke, 2-1, in double overtime last night in the first round of the ACC tournament. Donald McIntosh scored in the 112th minute to end the Terps' hopes for a tournament run. Duke (14-4) opened the scoring in the second half on Demetrio Sanchez's goal in the 48th minute, as he beat keeper Christian Lewis (Ellicott City) into the far corner of the net from 7 yards out. The Terps (10-9) tied it up with less than 15 minutes remaining when Abe Thompson converted from point-blank range.

FRISCO, Texas - It took just more than 104 minutes but in the end, Maryland's Graham Zusi found the back of the net about four minutes into the second overtime as the Terrapins prevailed, 1-0, over St. John's (19-3-3) at the NCAA Men's College Cup at Pizza Hut Park. It was the 15th straight win for Maryland (22-3-0), which will face ACC rival North Carolina (15-7-1) tomorrow to decide the national championship. Zusi's goal came on a free kick from about 25 yards out. The Maryland striker stepped up to the spot and struck the ball perfectly, sending his shot floating into the left side of the net to give the Terps the win. "I'm delighted with the victory," Maryland coach Sasho Cirovski said.

Passion for soccer drives Cirovski College Park -- Sasho Cirovski doesn't demand much, for college soccer in general and the University of Maryland in particular. Another NCAA title or three for a program that reached that pinnacle last December. Assorted cable networks battling for the rights to college matches. A new lacrosse/soccer facility here, perhaps named Trpe Stadium, which is not a typo. To achieve his dreams, Cirovski plays up the CEO smarts that he honed while earning an MBA and redirects the passion that produced red cards from his playing days to the 2002 NCAA semifinals.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- The Maryland men's soccer team won't have to leave its home state for a long time - and after another poor start on the road last night, it's probably a good thing for the Terrapins. For the fourth straight road game the No. 2 Terps let their opponent score first - this time No. 6 Virginia went up early. After their first-half goal, the Cavaliers scored twice more and beat the Terps, 3-0, before 3,618 at Klock- ner Stadium. "We've played five games on the road in front of an average of 4,500 people," Terps coach Sasho Cirovski said.

CARY, N.C. -- In 13 years of coaching soccer at the University of Maryland, Sasho Cirovski has tried to measure success in something other than wins and losses. He has campaigned for increased fan support. He has repeatedly pestered the athletic department for funding in an effort to make improvements to the Terps' stadium. He has lobbied - successfully, it's worth noting - for weekly broadcasts of college soccer games on national television. College Cup Maryland vs. New Mexico for NCAA men's soccer championship, today, 2 p.m. TV: ESPN2

Domenic Mediate, a flashy midfielder from the University of Maryland, gave the Major League Soccer Superdraft held at the Baltimore Convention Center yesterday a bit of local flair. But Mediate, 22, wasn't present when the Columbus Crew surprised him by making him its second pick and the 23rd selection overall. "I really didn't know what to do about the draft," said Mediate, whose Maryland teams went to three NCAA final fours. "I thought most of the players who were expecting to go in the first round would go to Baltimore.

COLLEGE PARK - The Maryland men's soccer team showed off its impressive depth yesterday. While playing without three players - among them two of the team's most potent offensive threats - the Terrapins still dominated Akron to score a 1-0 victory yesterday at Ludwig Field and advance to the NCAA Division I quarterfinals. A crowd of 2,010 watched second-seeded Maryland (19-2-1) overcome a sluggish first half and take the initiative after the break, scoring the only goal on a counterattack at 60:43, then continuing to pressure until the finish.

COLLEGE PARK -- Senior defender Michael Nelson headed in a free kick from senior midfielder A.J. Ogilvie in the second minute, then led a stellar defensive effort to give the Loyola men's soccer team a 1-0 upset of No. 12 Maryland last night before 737 at Ludwig Field. Nelson's goal broke an eight-year scoring drought against the Terrapins for Loyola (3-1-1), and the win was the program's first over its in-state rival since 1992. "It's one of our biggest goals of the year, and we accomplished it," Loyola goalkeeper Reb Beatty (Archbishop Spalding)

Maryland has named Sasho Cirovski, who guided the University of Hartford to the past two NCAA tournaments, as its men's soccer coach.In two years under Cirovski, Hartford had a 26-12-6 record. In both seasons, the Hawks won the North Atlantic Conference tournament and advanced to the NCAAs. Wilde Lake's Chris Williams and Oakland Mills' Chris Love were starters for Hartford.In 1991, Hartford took eventual champion Virginia to four overtimes in the second round of the NCAA tournament.Before coming to Hartford, Cirovski spent three years as an assistant at Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

CARY, N.C. -- Maryland's men's soccer team reached the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament's final for the second straight season, eliminating North Carolina State last night at SAS Stadium, 2-1. Forward Jason Garey scored in the 37th minute and forward Dominic Mediate scored in the 72nd as the defending conference champion Terps (17-2 and the ACC's regular-season champ) controlled play in a game more one-sided than the score would indicate. Two Terps shots bounced off the crossbar. The Wolfpack (9-8-2)

COLLEGE PARK-With its aura of invincibility now broken, the Maryland men's soccer team is getting back to the business of winning. Exactly one week after absorbing their first loss of the season and losing their No. 1 national ranking, the Terrapins yesterday delivered the message that they are still to be reckoned with, routing a young Connecticut team, 4-0, before 2,373 sun-splashed fans at Ludwig Field. "This team didn't deal with the loss well immediately after the game," said Maryland coach Sasho Cirovski about the 1-0 defeat at North Carolina Oct. 5. "But it took the pressure of an undefeated season out of their thinking.