Baltimore, MD - Senior forward Derek McElligott (Baltimore, Md./Greater Grace) became UMBC's all-time leading scorer at the Division I level with a pair of goals and an assist as the Retrievers (5-4-1, 1-3 America East) snapped a four-game losing streak with a 3-0 win over Vermont (7-4-1, 2-2 AE) at UMBC Soccer Stadium.
McElligott gave UMBC an early lead at the 5:04 mark, as linemate George Bakoulas (Baltimore, Md./Archbishop Curley) held on the ball in the box, touched it to freshman midfield Matt Watson (Redditch, England), and Watson fed McElligott, who slipped behind the Vermont defense. McElligott beat Vermont netminder David Sullivan from nine yards away into the left corner of the net.
The Retrievers dominated the first 30 minutes of play, holding Vermont without a shot, but the Catamounts, came back in the middle third of the game, and tested UMBC goalkeeper Andy Marchica on several occasions, but were unable to tie the score. UMBC would get the key insurance goal at 66:46, as freshman defender Bryan Moffa (Baltimore, Md./Eastern Tech) cut a ball into the box, McElligott poked it away from a Catamount defender to Watson, who slipped a shot under Sullivan from four yards out.
McElligott scored his eighth goal of the season and 47th of his career, as he took a lead pass from sophomore midfielder Bobby Woods (Colorado Springs, Colo.), broke in alone on Sullivan, and beat the Vermont goalkeeper from eight yards out.
McElligott, who entered the game with 100 points, snapped a tie with Giuliano Celenza (1999-2000), and now has 105 points with 47 goals and 11 assists. Ray Ford (1977-80) is the school's all-time leading scorer with 124 points (51 goals, 22 assists). The Retriever forward, who also scored the game-winning goal in last year's 2-0 win at Vermont, also surpassed Celenza with his 18th career game-winner.
"I'm very proud of our team and how we rebounded – we've had a rough stretch on the road, and it seems like we were happy to be back home,"said UMBC Head Coach Pete Caringi. "Our midfield, the first thirty minutes, really controlled the game, but after that we got a little tired and gave them some opportunities. We have to keep working on keeping our focus throughout the game."
The win broke UMBC's longest losing streak since dropping the last four games of the 1997 season. Vermont had won three straight and five of six entering the contest.
