The UMBC women's soccer team (5-6-2, 1-4-0 America East enters the home stretch of the 2021 campaign by playing three of four contests on the friendly Bermuda grass field of Retriever Soccer Park. The stretch opens on Thursday, Oct. 14 when NJIT (4-10-0, 2-3-0 AE) visits UMBC. The contest gets underway at 7:00 p.m. and will be broadcast on the America East digital network.

Host New Hampshire struck early in both halves and went on to defeat UMBC, 3-0, in America East Conference action at Wildcat Stadium, on Sunday. Freshman goalkeeper Abbey Cowles (Colts Neck, N.J.) made seven saves in her first outing September 16.

After an opening America East win at Maine, the Retrievers are looking to break back into the win column in league play. The Retrievers posted a 5-1 victory at Delaware State last Thursday. Freshman midfielder Izzy Binko (Selbyville, Del.) recorded her first collegiate hat trick, while junior midfielder Juliana Rafaniello (Old Bridge, N.J.) posted a goal and assisted on all three Binko goals.

NOTABLE:

·       After her five-point night at DSU, Rafaniello leads the squad with five goals and 14 total points. She has netted the game-winning goal in three of five Retriever wins this season.

·       Binko has recorded all four of her freshman year goals in the four three games. Junior midfielder Carolyn Koutsos (Boyds, Md./Good Counsel) has added three goals for UMBC, while sophomore midfielder Grace Harvey (Gaithersburg, Md./Gaithersburg) and graduate student midfielder Erin Stevenson (Sellersville, Pa.) have two apiece.

·       The five goals scored by UMBC is the most by the program since a 6-0 victory over Mount St. Mary's in September of 2014.

·       Binko's hat trick is UMBC's first since graduate student Erin Stevenson (Sellersville, Pa.)  recorded one against New Hampshire in her freshman season of 2017.

·       Stevenson attempted and converted UMBC's first penalty kick of the season to knot the score versus Delaware State. She now has 10 career goals.

A GLANCE AT THE HIGHLANDERS:

·       NJIT is 4-10-0 and 2-3-0 in America East play and have dropped two straight games at Vermont (2-0) and, most recently, versus Binghamton, 2-1, in double overtime on Oct. 10.

·       Binghamton's 30th shot of the game hit the nets in the 107' in Sunday's setback. Senior F/M Angela Harris scored in the 8' to give NJIT a 1-0 lead, but the Bearcats tied the game in the 27'. Highlander junior goalkeeper Molly Saylor made nine saves in the contest.   

·       NJIT has scored 12 goals and allowed 22 on the season. Both UMBC and NJIT have attempted 133 shots this season, although the Highlanders have played one additional contest.

·       Junior midfielder Bailey Chant leads the Highlanders with three goals and two assists on the campaign. Saylor has four shutouts on the season and ranks fourth in the league in that category and in saves per game (5.29).

·       NJIT assistant coach Mary Hearin, UMBC, '06, was a four-year letterwinner and three-time captain (2004-06) for the Retrievers.

SERIES NOTES:

·       This will be the fourth meeting between NJIT and UMBC and the series is knotted at 1-1-1.

·       Sophomore Megan McKye (Toronto, Ont.) scored her first collegiate goal in the 99' off a corner kick as UMBC earned its lone win of the 2021 spring season with a 1-0 triumph at NJIT on March 28.  

·       NJIT won a 3-2 overtime decision at RSP in 2018 and the two teams played to a scoreless draw in Newark the following season. That game was suspended in the 104' due to weather.

UP NEXT:

UMBC plays its final regular season road game on Sunday, Oct. 17 when the Retrievers travel to UAlbany for a 3:00 p.m. match.