Box Score Video Highlights
BALTIMORE- For the second time in three years, the UMBC men's
soccer team has won the America East title and will represent the
conference in the NCAA Men's Soccer College Cup. The second-seeded
Retrievers and fifth-seeded New Hampshire Wildcats played to a 0-0
double overtime draw, but UMBC advanced to the championships by
prevailing, 4-2, in penalty kicks.
UMBC junior goalkeeper Phil
Saunders (Perry Hall, Md./Perry Hall) was named the
championship's Most Outstanding Player. Saunders made
five saves, including a point-blank stop in the second overtime
period, and stopped a pair of UNH attempts in the penalty kick
shootout. He also blanked Stony Brook, 1-0, in the
semifinals.
The Retrievers will compete in their third Division I NCAA
Championship, with previous appearances in 1999 and 2010. The team
will learn its first-round opponent on Monday afternoon when the
brackets are announced.
"The last two days, we told them we would find a way to win
knowing they (UNH) was a great defensive team and if it comes down
to penalty kicks, whatever it takes, we are going to do it, and
that's exactly what we did," head coach Pete Caringi,
Jr. said.
The partisan UMBC crowd was shocked early on as the America East
Striker of the Year, junior forward Pete Caringi
III (Perry Hall, Md./Calvert Hall) went down and had to be
helped off the field in the fourth minute of play. Caringi, who led
America East with 14 goals on the season, did not return to the
lineup.
However, the Retrievers did control much of the play in the
first 45 minutes. The best scoring chance came in the
13th minute, when junior forward Kadeem
Dacres (Rosedale, N.Y./Mercer County CC) tested UNH
sophomore netminder Travis Worra with a 19-yard shot toward the far
post, but Worra made a diving save to keep the game scoreless.
Saunders, who was not tested in the first half, made a pair of
saves on UNH midfielder Robert Palumbo in the
50th minute, stopping an initial drive from 16
yards out and then rejected a rebound opportunity from seven yards
away.
UMBC countered with good chances in the 68th and
70th minutes, but freshman midfielder Michael
Burgos (Huntingtown, Md./The Calverton School) was wide
with a header, and sophomore midfielder Stephen
Ho (North Potomac, Md./Wootton) missed on the short side
after a cross from Dacres.
The game headed to overtime, and although UMBC outshot UNH, 6-2,
over that 20-minute span, the Wildcats had two outstanding
opportunities. In the 95', reserve midfielder David Schlatter hit
the underside of the crossbar as he found himself unguarded on the
right side from 12 yards out.
With less than four minutes to play in the second extra period,
Schlatter got inside of the Retriever defense and drilled a
seven-yard shot, but Saunders aggressively challenged and turned
the attempt away.
Just as it did in 2010, the game went to penalty kicks and the
results were similar. UMBC senior Milo Kapor (Toronto,
Ont./Emily Carr) converted, as did UNH senior back Jordan Thomas,
and Retriever sophomore midfielder Mamadou
Kansaye (Baltimore, Md./McDonogh) gave UMBC a 2-1
advantage. UNH freshman Lukas Goerigk tried to beat Saunders to the
goalie's right, but the Retreiver netminder made the save on the
hard shot along the turf.
UMBC senior fullback Liam Paddock (Worcesteshire,
England/Chase Technology) and Palumbo matched scores, and the
Retrievers led, 3-2, after three rounds. Dacres drilled his attempt
into the upper left corner, but Saunders ended the proceedings by
stopping Ryan McNabb's effort with a similar diving save to his
right.
The Retrievers won the 2010 shootout, 5-4 and went on to defeat
No. 10 Princeton, 2-1, in the first round, before falling in
penalty kicks at William & Mary.
"Tonight in general says a lot about UMBC Soccer- the crowd, the
atmosphere, the enthusiasm for our program.," Caringi said. "This
is a culmination of a lot of work. This is a win for UMBC in
general. I am really proud of the school and how everyone
responded."
In addition to Saunders, Dacres, Paddock and senior
midfielder Dave Vaeth (Dundalk, Md./Patapsco) earned
All-Tournament Team honors.
UMBC outshot UNH, 21-10, overall and earned 11 corners to five
for the Wildcats. Worra collected seven saves in the contest.
