Former Bridgewater Soccer Star Shoots for 2nd National Title

Graduating from Bridgewater-Raritan High School in 2008, soccer player Matt Kassel was the bluest of blue-chippers.

He had his pick of top-level college scholarship offers. He also had an offer to play professionally with the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.

But Kassel, who was ranked the nation's No. 9 player by Rise Magazine, chose to attend college at the University of Maryland. In his third season at College Park, the talented midfielder is putting together his best year.

The Terrapins are 10-2-1 on the season and 4-1-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Kassel leads the team in scoring with 18 points, including a college career-high of five goals.

Now, with a handful of regular season games left before the Terps embark on a potential national title run, Kassel should tack on to his points total.

The Terps already won the national title during Kassel's freshman year.

"This year has gone really well so far, but we're improving day in and day out," Kassel said of his team's play. "We had a tough stretch recently, and it's starting to click right now."

"I think our best game is yet to be played, and I think we see as time goes on, we have to continue to get better," he added.

Kassel was named ACC Player of the Week in the first week of October. He's scored a goal in each of the games against nationally-ranked Michigan State (Sept. 3), North Carolina (Sept. 24) and Duke (Oct. 1).

"As you get older, you get more mature," he said. "Right now, at this stage of my college career, I'm reading the game well and understanding the game better."

"I'm able to take on more of a leadership role on the team," he added. "I try to lead by example, especially with the younger players. I can coach them through certain situations I've been at throughout my career."

In one situation, Kassel played through pain last year after suffering a torn hip labrum, which, originally, he thought was a severe groin strain—so he played through it. But his ailment required surgery at the end of the season.

While playing through it, Kassel started all 22 games and collected eight points for Maryland, which finished 15-6-2.

"I recovered from that this past summer," Kassel said. "Throughout preseason, I had to get my strength back, and I feel great now."

It was Kassel's first major injury he sustained playing soccer.

"Obviously, when the doctor tells you the deal, that you're going to be out for four to six months, it's tough to handle especially at a young age," said Kassel, who's majoring in general business. "You have to look at the positive, and if I didn't get the surgery done, I would be hurting."

"We found it at a good spot, and it's something that you have to forget about and take it as a positive and move forward," he added.

With a healthy body to go along with a more mature game, Kassel's focus on the field is now about leading the Terps back to the College Cup, which are the semifinals and finals of the D-I championship. This year's Cup will be held over the weekend of Dec. 10 in Santa Barbara, Calif.

Maryland won the Cup in 2008 with a 1-0 victory over North Carolina, and won its first outright Cup title in 2005.

"You come here and you know what you're in for," Kassel said. "Getting just to the NCAA Tournament for us is not the greatest thing. You look at our past and we won championships in '05 and '08, and we're looking to do the same this year."

Kassel contends the symmetry between the older and younger guys on the team is established when they first put on the Terrapins uniform.  

"Here, it's about winning and, to each one of us, on the front of the shirt, we're playing for Maryland, but on the back we're also playing for our families," he said. "You have to represent yourself and the Maryland family well while wearing this jersey."

Kassel's drive to win another championship is turned up a few notches because he knows the euphoria and excitement of winning one. According to Kassel, when you don't make it back, it's a failure.

"After having that feeling, it's a once-in-a-lifetime feeling and you want to taste it again," he said. "The feeling is something I've never experienced in my soccer life. Holding that trophy is just remarkable.

"Once you get that feeling and if you don't get back there, you feel like you've failed, and that is something we're stressing this season," he added. "We don't want to fail and we want to get back there."

This season's ending remains to be written, as does Kassel's post-college soccer plans.

"When that time comes, I'll sit with my family and discuss my options," he said. "My concentration right now is helping Maryland win a title."