Box Score
BALTIMORE – Trailing 2-1 midway
through the first half, the UMBC women's lacrosse team scored five
straight goals to take the lead for good, and then held off a late
rally by California to win its home-opener, 7-5, Saturday evening
at UMBC Stadium.
Senior attack Lindsay Cox (High Bridge, N.J./Voorhees)
scored a team-best four goals for the second-straight game to pace
the Retrievers (2-0) and sophomore Abby Wilson (Bel Air,
Md./Fallston) added two tallies. Both also contributed
an assist while junior Kristen Bilney (Ellicott City,
Md./Mt. Hebron) completed the scoring with a goal and an
assist. FreshmanMegan Flock (Ellicott City, Md./Howard)
also notched an assist.
Paige Gasparino led the Golden Bears (0-2)
with a two-goal effort while Amelia
Burke, Gaby Christman,
and Melissa Humphrey each netted
once.
The visitors took the initiative in the game, breaking the
deadlock four-and-a-half minutes in on a solo effort from
Humphrey. The Retrievers eventually answered when Cox
took advantage of a free-position opportunity to knot the game at
one.
Cal once again took the lead just two minutes later as Gasparino
recorded an unassisted goal, but this would prove to be the Bears'
final lead.
Remaining patient, UMBC tied the game for the last time with
11:30 left in the half after Bilney took a feed from Wilson and
finished from close range. Cox then gave UMBC the lead
for good with just under six minutes left in the half as Bilney
turned distributor for the hosts.
After the break, the Retrievers, led by Cox, extended the run by
scoring three goals in the first ten minutes of the half to build a
game-high, four-goal lead, 6-2.
Following Wilson's goal at the 20:13 mark in the second period,
the Golden Bears responded just a minute later on Gasparino's
second goal.
Neither team could crack the opposing defense over the next 12
minutes, but Burke drew Cal within two, 6-4, with 7:16 left after
taking a feed from Lizz Lavie.
After the Bears stemmed the tide, they began pressing, but
Wilson made them pay by finishing into an open net after receiving
a pass from Cox at the 4:00 mark.
Cal climbed back within two at 7-5 with just 27 seconds
remaining, but it was not enough as the Retrievers held on for the
win.
Senior Kendall Mason (Lloyd Harbor, N.Y./Cold Spring
Harbor) made eight stops for the Retrievers to improve to 2-0 on
the season while Bears' goalie Megan
McGinnis recorded nine saves in the losing
effort.
UMBC returns to action on Wednesday, Feb. 27 when local rival
Towson travels around the beltway to invade UMBC
Stadium. The opening draw between the Retrievers and
Tigers is set for 4:00 p.m.
