(College Park, MD) – On a beautiful Saturday afternoon, UMD convincingly beat the UMD Alumni 2-0 on the UMD practice field. As expected, the UMD team was just too fast, technical and organized against a brave, hard-fighting team. The Alumni had a core of players who could equal the UMD skill, but there was a huge drop-off over-all. I give the Alumni credit for hanging in there and making a game of it.

UMD play was shoddy. While I understand not making grueling tackles against the Alumni, the finishing, passing and the combination was vastly inadequate and should upset Sasho Cirovski (Md’s coach).

Official disclaimer: With spring games, players switch uniform numbers and there is no official roster provided. So, assume that I’ll have some numbers/names incorrect. If there’s a discrepancy, please let me know. I am confident about the UMD team, but I’m positive that I’ll mess up some Alumni. They didn’t have numbers at all.

Here is a list of the Alumni that played (including the last fall season that they played):

Goal Keepers:

  • Steve Powers (‘86)
  • Craig Salvati (‘05)

Defenders:

  • Spencer Allen (‘07)
  • Mark Dubyoski (‘77)
  • David Glaudemans (‘06)
  • Rick Smedley (‘91)
  • Dave Ungrady (‘76)

Midfielders:

  • Leo Cullen (‘97)
  • Ed Gauss (‘82)
  • Chris Lancos (‘05)
  • Christian Lewis (‘00)
  • Bob Pass (No idea – may have the name wrong)
  • Ian Rodway (‘04)

Forwards:

  • Brian Barbazette (‘80)
  • Aki Kadatoni (‘07)
  • Steve Kane (‘70 – I think this is the right guy?)
  • Russell Payne (‘96)
  • Larry Smedley (‘91)

2 guys were organizing the Alumni – Lance Billingsley (‘60) and Joe Cryan (‘66 – I think).

Don Kraft (‘77) snatched the shirt, hung out for a few minutes and then hit the road!

DC United fans: Since Dom Mediate is nursing a hamstring injury and didn’t travel with DC United, he attended. Of course, he didn’t play. He has a cute, little Boston Terrier puppy.

The Good:

Ed Gauss is smooth. Given that he left MD before all of the current players were born, this is a testament to him. He still has a nice first touch.

Leo Cullen was the key in the middle, providing the best service. The weight on his passing was a joy to watch.

Steve Powers while yielding the second goal, kept the Alumni in the game by making key 1v1 stops and thwarting point blank shots. I remember watching him in the 80’s and it looks like he hasn’t lost a step. Perhaps, I’ve lost more than a few brain cells!

Russell Payne was able to out sprint Rich Costanzo. Are you kidding me?

Spencer Allen did a yeoman’s job in the back considering that he was continuously covering for his other defenders.

Chris Lancos hit a 40 yard shot that was just over the cross bar.

Finally, no injuries – though I expect that the wives heard a lot of groaning on Saturday evening!

The Bad:

With the score 1-0, the Alumni earned a PK for a hand ball. None of the Alumni looked anxious to take the PK, so Cullen stepped up and shot it over the cross bar. Not a horrible shot, but he should have put it on frame. I would have had Allen take the PK – he took one against Loyola in the NCAA tournament last year.

The Ugly:

Tactically, the Alumni could not sustain possession. Instead, most of their best opportunities came from hoofing the ball down the pitch for a forward to try and get behind the MD defense.

In the second half, the Alumni bunkered with 15 players in the box – that isn’t a typo – on a corner kick.

Some of the players, have lost more than a step and their technical proficiency has waned even more significantly.

UMD Analysis:

UMD has some major holes to fill in the fall. The largest task is how to replace perennial All-American candidate Stephen King (who scored his first MLS goal with Chicago against New England, Saturday evening). Graham Zusi is the most likely replacement currently on the team with perhaps Drew Yates my second choice. Though, if incoming freshman, Matt Kassel, is the player that I expect that he’ll be, he may slot into the attacking midfielder position on day 1.

Over the last 2 years, Spenser Allen has manned an outside back position. Who will replace him? The likely candidates are A. J. Delagarza and Sean Flatley. I don’t think that Flatley can be successful out wide and I don’t think Delagarza plays outside very well, either. He’s much better in the middle, reading the game. I didn’t see any answers yesterday. I don’t have the answer, but I don’t think Flatley or Delagarza out wide is the answer.

Neither goal keeper claimed and held the position last year. Can Will Swaim or Thorne Holder play well enough to make it a battle against incoming freshman U17 goal keeper, Zach MacMath? Swaim played the first half and Chinn played the second half. Neither was challenged sufficiently. This is still an open question. I believe that MacMath will win the starting position.

The last major hole is determining who can put the ball in the net up top. Last year, when Jason Herrick was injured in the summer and subsequently missed the year, consistent scoring from the forwards was sorely lacking. Bad news: Herrick was on crutches on Saturday. If this is a continuation from last year, it may put a damper on the fall. This is something to watch for in the fall. Casey Townsend (freshman), Billy Cortes and Yates will fight for one position with Jeremy Hall either playing up top or on the wide right midfield. Scoring consistently continues to be a problem, today though.

Starting Lineup:

GK: Will Swaim (he didn’t have his #21 on, but it looked like him)

D: Rich Costanzo, Omar Gonzalez, Sean Flatley, A. J. Delagarza

M: Billy Cortes, Rodney Wallace, Graham Zusi, Drew Yates

F: Tyler Mishalow, #13-Casey Townsend

Townsend is confident with his shot. He needs to get more accurate on his shot. He turns well and has speed to get away from closing defenders. He’s pretty good. He opened the scoring from a rebound off the goal keeper from a hard shot by Zusi/Yates (I was blocked on the opening shot).

Billy Cortes’ shot was more erratic. He needs to finish – at times specifically with the goaltender at his feet – he was too cute. Cortes was too fast and powerful for the aging defender, but still didn’t get on the score sheet.

Mishalow didn’t add to the attack.

Yates was a problem in the first half with his deft dribbling and the lack of quality in the back. He received a back pass from Zusi that he crossed to Townsend, but Salvati blocked the attempt.

Zusi played AM. His passing and vision is reminiscent of King. He scored the second goal in the second half by picking up a turn-over from Ian Rodway near midfield. No one closed on Zusi and he shot low and hard from the 18 yard line. Moments before, Zusi attempted to bend the ball around the goalie, but a superior effort by Powers saved the goal.

One of the surprises for me is that Rodney Wallace has moved from left midfield to defensive midfield. Cirvoski likes to have a stable central midfield. Wallace will get more touches. Mo Edu made the same move in his sophomore year. It’s not a bad move. But I really liked Wallace out wide where he could aid in the attack and he had the motor to stretch the defense. Something to watch in the fall.

Gonzalez made a pin-point cross field pass that was nice to see.

Costanzo (besides being toasted by Payne) made a long pass that Townsend headed down and looped over the goal keeper for what looked like a nice goal. However, Townsend was called off sides by linesman, Jeremy Hall. I’m not sure why Hall wasn’t playing. He got some stick from his teammates for making the call.

The passing wasn’t sharp from many of the offensive players. Given the numerous opportunities, a larger difference from accurate shooting would have been reasonable. The leadership loss from King graduation may be the cause. Captains’ practice are an example of the quality on game day in the spring.