Box Score Video Highlights
BALTIMORE- UMBC senior midfielder Travis Dennis (Bowie,
Md./Eleanor Roosevel) scored the game's lone goal in the 41st
minute as the 11th-ranked Retrievers (8-0-0) blanked
George Mason (4-2-1), 1-0, before 1,150 at Retriever Soccer
Park.
UMBC, one of two undefeated and untied teams in the nation
(Dayton at 7-0-0 is the other), extended its unbeaten streak to 17
(14-0-3), dating back to 2012.
The victory was the Retrievers' first by shutout in 2013. Senior
goalkeeper Phil Saunders (Perry Hall, Md./Perry Hall) made four
saves to record his 18th career shutout.
The Retrievers outshot the Patriots, 13-8 and evened the
all-time series at 6-6-1. Mason has dropped two straight since
opening at 4-0-1 and earning an NSCAA ranking of 23 a week ago.
"I thought defensively tonight we played excellent (soccer)
against some good forwards," said head coach Pete Caringi. "I
really like how this team has been focusing on each game, getting
better, each practice getting better and as long as we do that,
good things are going to happen."
UMBC controlled much of the first half action and held the
Patriots without a shot for 37 minutes until GMU defender Hugh
Roberts' header whizzed by the left post.
The Retrievers would capitalize on one of five first half corner
kicks. Junior Mamadou Kansaye (Baltimore, Md./McDonogh) took the
corner from the right side and the Patriot defense could only clear
to the left edge of the box. Dennis, who had entered the game in
the 33rd minute, ran on to the ball, and stung a right-footed shot
which found the net just inside the near post with 4:12 to play in
the stanza.
It was Dennis' first goal of the season and just the second of
his career.
UMBC outshot Mason, 9-2 in the first 45 minutes, but the
visitors did threaten more often in the final 45. But the best
chance of the half belonged to Retriever senior midfielder Kadeem
Dacres (Rosedale, N.Y.), who struck the woodwork for the second
time of the evening in the 78th minute. His 19-yard
blast beat GMU netminder Steffen Kraus, but struck the post to the
keeper's right and UMBC could not corral the rebound.
Mason could only manage three shots in the final 28 minutes of
the contest.
The eight consecutive victories for UMBC knots their
third-longest streak in school history. The 1991 squad also won
eight straight, while the 2009 squad captured nine in a row and the
school record of 13 consecutive victories is held by the 1999 team.
The 2009 team's run came in the first nine games of the season.
UMBC continues its three-game homestand by welcoming George
Washington (3-4-0) to Retriever Soccer Park on Saturday evening
(7:00 p.m.).
