DURHAM, N.H.—The UMBC women's soccer team (2-12-0, 1-3-0 AEC) lost to America East rival New Hampshire (4-8-1, 3-1-0 AEC) by a score of 3-0 Thursday afternoon at the Wildcats' Lewis Fields. The loss is the third straight for the Retrievers.
UNH controlled play for the start, out-shooting the Retrievers 10-2 in the first half. The Wildcats broke through on the scoreboard in the 37th minute when a corner kick by midfielder Amy Avitabile was deflected to forward Sara Hourihan on the right side of the box. UMBC senior goalie Christine Bacinski (Hampstead, Md./Mount de Sales) went up to grab the ball but could not bring it in, and Hourihan capitalized, booting the ball into the left side of the net for the 1-0 UNH lead.
The Wildcats carried the momentum into the second half, scoring just 54 seconds into the period. Forward Shaunna Kaplan chased after a ball down the right side and was challenged by Bacinski, who slid in an attempt to knock the ball away. Kaplan made a move around the keeper and kicked the ball to the end line, where she served it into the box for forward Michelle Sheehan, who put her head on it and drove it into the right side of the vacant net for the 2-0 advantage.
A little more than six minutes later, UNH struck again when Kaplan's blast from the right side of the box slammed off the right side of the crossbar and caromed into a crowd where midfielder Caitlin Whelan came up with it on the left side and found the back of the net, beating a diving Bacinski to make it 3-0.
The Retrievers picked up their play in the final 20 minutes but could not capitalize on any of their six second-half corners or an empty net chance. UMBC out-shot the New Hampshire, 10-8, in the second period.
Bacinski made four saves while splitting time in goal with freshman Mo Van Vlerah (Boyds, Md./Northwest), who stopped the only shot she faced after coming in midway through the second half. UNH goalie Nikki Golding recorded four saves in the shutout.
The Wildcats outshot the Retrievers, 18-12, in the game, but UMBC held a 7-2 advantage on corner kicks.
The Retrievers return home on Sunday, Oct. 12, to host America East rival Stony Brook at 1 p.m. at UMBC Soccer Stadium.
