Baltimore, Md.-- Outside hitters Abbie Mirabella (Hockessin, Del./St. Mark's) and Zoya Trendafilova (Sofia, Bulgaria/Elisaveta Bagryana) tallied 11 kills each, but it was not enough as three-time defending America East champion New Hampshire (15-10, 6-2) defeated UMBC (14-7, 5-3) in four sets (25-16, 27-29, 25-16, 25-20) on Sunday afternoon at The RAC.

"We did not compete at as high a level as we normally do. Our execution offensively and defensively was not what as crisp as we have been the last few weeks," head coach Ian Blanchard said. "We discussed the need to play clean volleyball but were not able to execute that today. The good news is that we are still in a good position to keep playing well."

Mirabella added nine digs, Trendafilova had four, and both finished with two blocks. Setter Krytsia Negron (San Juan, Puerto Rico/Colegio Adianez) had the Retrievers lone double-double, pitching in 26 assists and 13 digs to go with three kills and a block, while countrymate and fellow setter Claudia Lopez (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico/Academia Maria Reina) added 18 assists and four digs.

Red-shirt freshman middle blocker Lauren Mortimer (Queen Anne's, Md./Queen Anne's) had seven kills and two blocks while fellow middle blocker Marissa Duncan (Ellicott City, Md./Mt. Hebron) was the most efficient player in the match. The junior team captain posted four kills in five attempts (.800) and a block in only one set of action. 

Sophomore libero Kristin Watson (Bowie, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt) finished 20 kills, her 10th match this season with reaching that number. Junior Ashley Ramos (Orlando, Fla./Liberty/Monroe JC) finished with six kills, 10 digs, two aces, two bocks and an assist.

UMBC will now hit the road for two key America East match-ups in upstate New York next weekend. The Retrievers then travel to Binghamton for a 7 p.m. clash, and then go to first-place Albany for 2 p.m. Sunday match.