#4 California vs. #5 Maryland 2013 NCAA Tournament Quarterfinal Game Breakdown
#4 California vs. #5 Maryland
California made easy work of Bradley in the second round and advanced past the third round with a 1-0 win over Coastal Carolina. There were plenty of scoring opportunities between the Golden Bears and the Chanticleers, but Cal’s Alec Sundly was the only player who found the back of the net. Maryland had to squeeze out a 1-0 victory in the third round as well. After dropping three goals on Providence in the second round, the Terrapins had to sit on a 32nd minute goal by superstar forward Patrick Mullins against UC Irvine. Freshman keeper Zack Steffen had another great outing, tallying five saves against the Anteaters.
Now Maryland is off to Berkeley in what should be a high scoring, close contest. Both teams showed their offensive prowess in their tournament opener, but both had to hang on to 1-0 wins once the competition got stiffer. California has had some defensive lapses over the last month, but that was not the case against Coastal Carolina. Steve Birnbaum, Alex Mangels and company are looking strong on the defensive end. But Maryland’s potent offense is clicking. Patrick Mullins netted his 16th goal of the year against UC Irvine. With Schillo Tshuma, Jake Pace and Sunny Jane, the Terrapins will be able to score a goal or two against Cal. Now the issue is whether or not the Golden Bears can muster up enough offense to cap off their great season with a trip to the College Cup.
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