No. 6 Maryland men’s soccer vs. No. 19 UCLA preview

Maryland and UCLA has long been one of college soccer’s best rivalries. For the first time Monday, it’s a conference matchup.

“Normally it’s a nonconference game and it’s a very strong RPI game and for a lot of pride,” head coach Sasho Cirovski said. “But now it’s for three points and it’s very meaningful in a different way.”

The game will kick off at 7 p.m. at Ludwig Field and air on Big Ten Network.

UCLA Bruins (6-3-4, 3-2-2 Big Ten)

The Bruins are coming to College Park on just two days’ rest after a resounding 3-0 win over Rutgers. After some early season disappointments, they have found their stride in the last week.

Before they took down the Scarlet Knights on the road, they became the only team to beat No. 5 Ohio State this season.

It will be the latest installment in a historic rivalry, but just the second time UCLA head coach Ryan Jordan will be a part of it.

Players to watch

Edrey Caceres, graduate midfielder, No. 7 — Caceres joined UCLA after three seasons at Marquette, all three of which he made the All-Big East second team. He has been instrumental in the Bruins’ success this season, scoring four times and assisting on two more goals.

Nicholas Cavallo, graduate defender, No. 24 — Cavallo is one of multiple college soccer veterans on the Bruins roster. He was brought in after three-and-a-half years at Davidson, where he was a captain. He has started every game this year and helps to lead UCLA’s defensive unit.

Jose Contell, redshirt senior forward, No. 9 — Contell is the Bruins’ most dangerous forward, with four goals to his name. As a junior, he made the All-Pac-12 second team with a three-goal and six-assist season.

Strength

Experience. In UCLA’s typical starting lineup, there are just two players who are underclassmen. This experience has helped the Bruins rise to the occasion in big games throughout the year, as well as pull out multiple close victories down the stretch.

Weakness

Defensive consistency. Many UCLA games this year have been dependent on which version of its defense shows up. The Bruins have posted multiple shutouts, but have also given up at least two goals in four games.

Three things to watch

1. Attendance. Diehard Maryland soccer fans will remember some legendary matchups against UCLA that saw Ludwig Field at maximum capacity, creating some of the best environments in college soccer. Maryland attendance has not been proportional to the team’s success so far in 2024, so it will be interesting to see how the Ludwig crowd looks on Monday night.

“It’s going to be a special night,” Cirovski said. “We need to pack this place.”

2. Griffith’s status. Maryland would certainly like to enter this big-time battle with the help of star attacker Colin Griffith. He missed the last game with an injury, but as of last Tuesday, Cirovski said he expects Griffith to be “good” for Monday’s matchup.

3. Standings implications. As Maryland enters the home stretch of its season, it’s in a very good position to make a run at the Big Ten regular season title. Indiana currently sits atop the standings, with one more point than the Terps, but the Hoosiers have played two more games. On the other hand, if UCLA wins, it would pull within two points of Maryland with a lot of momentum heading into the season’s final stretch.