Video Highlights

BALTIMORE – UMBC women's soccer junior Alexa Quaranta (Baltimore, Md./Perry Hall) scored the Retrievers first goal of the season and junior goalkeeper Jen Nance (Millersville, Md./Severna Park) stopped a penalty kick, as the Retrievers defeated Navy, 1-0, to earn their 11th-straight home victory on Friday night at Retriever Soccer Park.

The Retrievers earn their first season-opening victory since Aug. 20, 2010 when they defeated Delaware State, 4-1.

UMBC started out the contest aggressively, but it was a counter attack on a clearance from junior Amira Walcott (Beltsville, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt) that put the Retrievers on the board in the 30th minute. Quaranta, the Retrievers' leading goal scorer from a season ago, outran the defense and beat Navy goalkeeper Dayton Wetherby on the ground inside the far right post for the 11th goal of her career.

Navy had its chances within the first period to even the score, but Nance preserved the Retrievers' lead, coming up with a big save on a Rachel Hunter penalty kick with 3:49 to go in the opening period. Hunter's opportunity was stopped on a diving save from Nance, her second stop of the game, following a handball in the box.

The Mids held a 7-4 shot advantage in the first stanza, but it was the Retrievers that held the 1-0 lead at the break.

UMBC narrowed the shot gap in the second period, generating a number of opportunities to add insurance, including a header from senior midfielder Jessy Brown (Plantation, Fla./American Heritage) that trickled wide in the 70th minute. Quaranta gathered the wide shot and sent a centering pass, but the Retrievers were unable to get a shot off in front of the net.  

Less than a minute later, Navy responded with a chance of its own, as a shot from Cat Macklin over the head of her defender bounced in front of the open net, but neither Macklin or a waiting Lily Karemer was able to put it home.

Moments later, Quaranta once again found herself with an opportunity in front of the pack, but Wetherby registered one of her five stops on the night to keep it a one-goal contest. Quaranta ended the night with a game-high five shots, placing four of them on net.

Nance finished her second-career start with four saves.

On the Horizon
-UMBC continues home action on Monday, Aug. 25 when it hosts local-rival Loyola (Md.) at 7 p.m. at the Retriever Soccer Park. Retrieve your free UMBC iPhone 5 sleeve at the UMBC Sports Marketing table – when you follow @UMBCAthletics on twitter, check-in on Foursquare at your first home UMBC Athletic Contest and tweet @UMBCSportsMarketing and #LoveTheLoop.

Game Notes
-Head coach Leslie Wray moves to 1-1-1 in season-openers with the Retrievers.
-The Retrievers earn their first victory against Navy since Sept. 4, 1994. Navy holds the 7-4-1 lead in the all-time series.
-UMBC and Navy are tied 1-1-1 in their last three meetings.