BALTIMORE- Visiting Vermont scored twice in a 73-second span
late in the game to stun a dominant UMBC men's soccer team, 2-1, in
the America East Conference opener for both teams at Retriever
Soccer Park.
The game-winning goal came off the foot of Catamount senior
midfielder Joe Losier, who scored on a penalty kick with 5:39
remaining.
The game was scoreless at the half after UMBC outshot Vermont,
8-3, in the opening 45 minutes. The Retrievers' best chance
occurred in the 20', when junior forward Pete Caringi
(Calvert Hall/Perry Hall, Md.) headed a deep, sharp angle shot
goalward, but UVM netminder Conor Leland stopped it just short of
the goal line.
UMBC got on the board in the 61st minute. Senior
midfielder Milo Kapor (Toronto, Ont./Emily Carr) took a corner kick
from the left side, which deflected through traffic and onto the
foot of Caringi on the far post. His shot was knocked away by
Leland, but the rebound came to senior back Liam Paddock
(Worcestershire, England/Chase Technology), who put the ball just
under the crossbar and inside the far post from seven yards
out.
It was Paddock's second goal of the season.
The Retrievers continued to pressure Vermont, until a Catamount
counter gave the visitors their first corner kick of the half with
in the 83rd minute. Jonny Bonner's corner was
headed out, but he recovered and served the ball back into the box,
where freshman midfielder Charlie Defeo was amongst several
Catamounts crashing the net and he headed the ball past UMBC junior
goalkeeper Phil Saunders
(Perry Hall, Md./Perry Hall) with 6:52 to play.
Just over a minute later, Bonner had just entered the right
corner of the box and UMBC was assessed a foul as the junior
midfielder crashed to the turf. Losier pumped in the penalty kick
to Saunders' left to give Vermont the one-goal advantage.
The Retrievers threatened in the closing moments, sending
several corners and serves deep into the Vermont goal area, but
could not come up with game-tying score.
UMBC had a decided advantage in the statistical battle and spent
the majority of the evening in the Vermont half of the field. The
Retrievers outshot the Catamounts, 17-6, and attempted 15 corner
kicks to six for the visitors, but fell to 3-4-3 in ten America
East openers.
Both teams are now 4-3-3 overall and the Catamounts extended
their unbeaten streak to six in a row with the victory.
Leland made eight saves for Vermont, while Saunders had a pair
for the Retrievers.
UMBC will take a quick break from league play, facing
non-conference foe Howard at Retriever Soccer Park on Oct. 2 before
visiting UNH on Oct. 6.
