BALTIMORE - The UMBC women's lacrosse team (1-2) did something Tuesday evening it hadn't done in 34 years - defeat cross-town rival Loyola - and the Retrievers did so in thrilling fashion, winning 11-10 for their first victory of the season.
UMBC had lost 22 straight games to the Greyhounds (1-3) dating to 1974, including each of the last nine years, but senior attack Ali Levendusky (Baldwin, Md./John Carroll) scored her fourth goal of the game, which proved to be the game-winner, with 5:17 remaining.
Loyola jumped out to a 2-0 lead after just 3:38 of play, but the Retrievers scored three straight and six of the game's next eight goals to take a 6-4 lead with 7:46 remaining in the first half. Levendusky posted a hat trick during that stretch.
But the Greyhounds tallied the period's final two goals to send the game into halftime tied at 6-6.
UMBC junior midfielder Abbey Swift (Baltimore, Md./Towson) quickly gave the Retrievers a 7-6 lead just 34 seconds into the second half, as she converted a feed from sophomore midfielder Megan Cook (Towson, Md./Towson), but the Greyhounds knotted the game again on Elizabeth Weber's third goal of the game four minutes later.
The Retrievers scored three of the next four goals to take a 10-8 advantage with 15:13 remaining, but two more Loyola goals over the next four minutes sent the game to its fifth and final deadlock.
Neither team managed to score again until Levendusky's game-winner with 5:17 remaining. The Greyhounds had several opportunities in the final minutes, but they could not find the net on five shots, including three in the last 20 seconds.
Junior Susie Sweeney (Madison, N.J./Madison) made her first start of the season and was outstanding in goal for the Retrievers with 15 saves in 60 minutes. Loyola keeper Meg Steffe recorded 10 saves.
Levendusky led all players with four goals, while junior midfielder Kara Dorr (Bel Air, Md./C. Milton Wright) posted her first hat trick of the season.
Loyola attack Colleen O'Keefe led the Greyhounds with four points on two goals and two assists, while Weber scored a team-best three goals.
The Greyhounds out-shot the Retrievers, 36-31, and held an 18-16 advantage on ground balls, but UMBC won the draw control battle, 12-11.
The Retrievers hit the road for the first time this season when they take on Binghamton in the America East Conference opener on Friday, Feb. 29 at 4 p.m.
