Video Highlights
BALTIMORE—Senior forward Levi
Houapeu (Germantown, Md./Watkins Mill) recorded his third
career three-goal game, leading UMBC to a 3-1 victory over visiting
Vermont, clinching a playoff berth in the America East Tournament
for the Retrievers.
The Retrievers improved to 9-4-2 overall and 3-1-2 in league
play, while Vermont slid to 6-7-4 and 1-4-1.
UMBC remains deadlocked with Stony Brook with 11 standings
points and the two teams will play for second place and a
first-round bye at Stony Brook on Sunday. Boston U. clinched the
top spot with a 4-0 win over Binghamton this evening. The
Retrievers are guaranteed to host at least one game in the six-team
tournament which begins on Saturday, Nov. 6.
Houapeu led UMBC and the America East Conference with nine goals
entering play tonight, but had not scored a goal in his last three
outings. He opened the scoring in unusual fashion in the
33rd minute, as he managed to corral Retriever
netminder Dan
Louisignau's bounding goal kick and broke in on goal. His
initial close range shot was stopped by Vermont netminder Xan
Rousselle, but Houapeu tapped in the rebound.
Houapeu's pair of second half goals were more artistic and put
the game out of reach early in the stanza. Junior
midfielder Andrew
Bulls (Millersville, Md./McDonogh) did the heavy work on
the first tally, winning the ball on the right sideline at midfield
and working diagonally down the field. He fed Houapeu and the two
worked a quick give-and-go inside, with Houapeu finishing the play
by chipping the ball in from six yards out just 66 seconds into the
second half.
In the 52nd minute, Houapeu took a flick from
freshman forward Pete Caringi
III (Baltimore, Md./Calvert Hall), drove just inside the box
and blasted a 16-yard shot from the left side just inside the far
post.
Vermont avoided the shutout and broke a long scoreless drought
on Evan Hodge's first goal of the year in the
74th minute.
Houapeu, who now has 12 goals on the season, was UMBC's America
East Player of the Game, while Vermont's Malick Camara, who
assisted on Hodge's score, earned the honor for the visitors.
Houapeu moved into a tied for fifth place on UMBC's all-time
goals list with 31.
The Retrievers outshot the Catamounts, 13-8, and Louisignau made
a pair of saves. Rousselle was credited with four saves for
Vermont.
UMBC snapped a five-game winless streak vs. Vermont, winning for
the first time since 2004.
