Sadam Masereka had a slow start to his Maryland men’s soccer career. The Ugandan forward started his career at NAIA’s Lindsey Wilson College, but faced a 10-match goal drought to open his junior year with the Terps.

All season, he’s been the driving force behind the No. 1 team in the nation’s offense. So it was only fitting it was his hat trick that cemented Maryland’s Big Ten title and undefeated regular season in its 4-3 win over Michigan State.

“To be undefeated in 2025 is a remarkable accomplishment,” coach Sasho Cirovski said. “While we did it in 2016, the college landscape has changed so much that this is incredibly rewarding.”

Masereka announced his breakthrough in College Park when Maryland faced Michigan State in its 11th game of the 2024 campaign. The then-junior rescued three points for Maryland with a game-winning score in the 83rd minute.

Masereka has since cemented himself as a cornerstone of Maryland’s prolific attack, and in Friday’s regular season finale — fittingly against the Spartans in East Lansing — epitomized his importance.

“Tonight, [Masereka] was rewarded for his great effort all year,” Cirovski said.

The senior became the first Terp to score a hat trick since October of 2017, and it took him less than 35 minutes to do. It pushed Masereka’s goal tally to nine, securing his claim as Maryland’s top scorer heading into the postseason, after he and sophomore Stephane Njike had shared the onus for much of the campaign.

[Maryland men’s soccer ranked No. 1 team in the NCAA, first time since 2019]

Masereka was the beneficiary of pinpoint passing for his game-opening score.

With Maryland trying to build many of its attacks from deep in the opening 25 minutes, goalkeeper Laurin Mack spent considerable time playing sideways passes to center backs Lasse Kelp and Tristen Rose. The sophomore keeper chose a more direct route in the 23rd minute.

Mack punted a long pass to defender Luca Costabile along the left flank. He controlled the lofted ball, before driving towards the goal and cutting inside slightly.

He played Masereka through on goal. His ensuing score — which saw the Terps go from one end of the pitch to the other in just around 10 seconds — gave Umberto Picotto his first of three assists.

Njike’s presence also created more opportunities for Masereka.

Michigan State committed multiple defenders toward the Terps’ left winger, when they worked frequent attacks down the left side. Drawing that attention opened up space for Masereaka along the opposite flank — a factor in all three Masereka scores.

Njike also got credited with a pair of assists on two of Masereaka’s goals but that connection went the opposite way in the 83rd minute. The senior right winger drove a tight-angled shot at goalkeeper Zac Kelly, who saved the effort toward the middle of the penalty area.

[Maryland men’s soccer’s goalkeeper is turning in a historically impressive season]

Njike had made a habit out of scoring with fancy finishes, but his lone score on Friday was much simpler. He tapped the deflected shot away from Kelly, and it gradually rolled into the bottom corner to give Maryland a 4-2 lead.

It ultimately became the deciding score when Oscar Huerta scored a third Spartans goal just several minutes later. The Terps seemed apt to soak up pressure at times throughout the second half, which naturally created more attacking opportunities for the Spartans.

Maryland entered Friday’s match with just nine goals conceded the entire regular season, and three goals against in a game marked its worst statistical performance of the year.

Defensive stability had been Maryland’s calling card throughout the regular season. Friday was a rare example in which it wasn’t, so naturally, its forwards took the reins with a championship-caliber display.