Box Score Annapolis, Md.— UMBC women's basketball got a career best 25 points from senior Laura Castaldo (West Nyack, N.Y./Clarkstown South), however the Retrievers dropped the finale of the Navy Classic, 67-53 to North Dakota State on Sunday.
The Retrievers fall to 1-6 while the Bison improve to 5-1 on the year.
UMBC got out of the gates quickly, putting up 12 quick points in the first three minutes, all coming from Castaldo. The Retriever defense held the Bison without a point during the run, going 0-6 from the floor during that stretch.
The Bison then went on a 6-0 run to cut the deficit to two before a Castaldo free throw ended the streak. The senior had 15 points in the first period as UMBC held a 17-16 lead.
Both team struggled to find the basket in the second, as neither side would score during a three-minute stretch of the second. It was the Bison who started to find the basket, going on an 11-0 run holding the Retrievers scoreless for six minutes, till Janee'a Summers (Bound Brook, N.J./Bound Brook) had a put-back layup.
NDSU would hit a three at the buzzer to end the quarter outscoring the Retrievers 19-4 and taking a 35-21 lead at the break.
Castaldo had 17 points to lead UMBC in the first half, as Carly Harris (Glenshaw, Pa./Shaler Area) and Summers added two for the Retrievers.
The third saw the Bison pickup where they left off in the first half, going on a 11-0 run to open the period. The Retrievers would answer back, getting four quick points from Summers with a pair of Castaldo free throws and a Lucrezia Costa (Rome, Italy) jumper to cut into the deficit. UMBC held NDSU scoreless during the scoring stretch, as they trailed 54-34 heading into the fourth.
The Retrievers opened the final quarter on a 6-0 run, fueled by six points from Costa. The comeback continued as Allison McGrath drilled a three to cut it to 12, but a layup by the Bison late sealed the victory. UMBC would outscore the Bison in the final stanza 19-13, falling to NDSU 67-53 on Sunday.
Castaldo led the way with a career best 25 points going 13-14 from the foul line. Costa netted 10, while Summers and McGrath scored seven for the Retrievers.
UMBC will return to Baltimore for Wednesday night showdown with American at the RAC. The Retrievers and Eagles tip-off at 7 p.m. on ESPN 3 with Troy Green, Raven Harris and Pandora Wilson on the call.
DAWG BYTES:
-Senior Laura Castaldo played in her 100th career game against the Bison. She has started in 68 of those games.
-Castaldo was also named to the All-Tournament Team following the final game of the day, which saw Navy win the Navy Classic over St. Bonaventure 86-48
