Midfielder Eli Crognale lined up in the northeast corner of Ludwig Field for a corner kick, eager to give Maryland men’s soccer the edge. His pass found freshman Malcolm Johnston, who headed the ball into the back of the net to put Maryland up 1-0.
Johnston stood in front of the student section with his arms outstretched, soaking in the moment before being surrounded by teammates.
His score would hold for the final 20 minutes of play, giving Maryland the 1-0 victory to begin the season.
For Crognale, it was a moment to prove himself as someone deserving of the title of team captain that head coach Sasho Cirovski bestowed upon him before the season.