Lowell, Mass.—UMBC volleyball snapped a five game losing streak in a 3-1 win against UMass Lowell on Friday night. The Retrievers got a solid all-around performance by Makenzie Morgen (Appleton, Wisc./Appleton East) with 17 kills and seven digs. The Retrievers move to 7-9, 1-1 AE on the year.

The Retrievers (6-9, 0-1 AE) found themselves on the wrong end of a 6-1 run to open the match. Head Coach Ian Blanchard was forced to call a timeout, down 6-1 early. The River Hawks would maintain at least a three point lead for a majority of the set, until the Retrievers fought back. A pair of kills from Makenzie Morgen (Appleton, Wisc./Appleton East) and a pair of service aces from freshman Krytsia Negron (San Juan, Puerto Rico/Colegio Adianez) gave UMBC a 21-17 lead. UML would try to cut into the lead, but a kill from Paola Rojas (San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico/Notre Dame) sealed the set, 25-23.

Set number two was all UMBC. After a back and forth start to the set, the Retrievers would push themselves out in front rattling off ten straight points to take a commanding 21-10 lead. From there UMBC would give up just two points to take the set 25-12, and a 2-0 lead in the match.

Looking to close out the match, the Retrievers and River Hawks would battle back and forth in the third stanza. Both teams took turns with the lead, but it was UML who took the set, 25-22 forcing a fourth set.

In the fourth, UMBC jumped out to an early 6-1 lead to force a River Hawk timeout. A run by the River Hawks gave them the lead for a majority of the set, but the Retrievers would have the last laugh, coming back to win the set 25-23 to win the match 3-1.

Morgen was one of three Retrievers in double digits with 17 kills. Morgen added seven digs in the win. Rojas and junior Zoya Trendafilova (Sofia, Bulgaria/Elisaveta Bagryana) also hit ten plus kills, with Rojas pouring in 11 and Trendafilova with ten. Senior Krystal Williams (Baltimore, Md./Western Tech) had a big game in her first game back chipping in seven kills and eight total blocks.

The Retrievers will return to Baltimore next Friday, October 9, to face Albany. The match with the Great Danes is set for 4:00 p.m. at the RAC.