The UMBC men's soccer squad (7-7-2, 2-4-1 America East) wraps up the regular season on Thursday, Oct. 28 when the Retrievers visit NJIT (4-10-1, 2-4-0 AE). The game will kick-off just after 7:00 p.m. and airs on the America East digital network.

Both teams are battling a spot in the six-team America East Conference playoffs. The Retrievers currently hold the No. 6 position, but lead NJIT, Binghamton and Hartford by just a single standings point. Moreover, all eight other league teams conclude their campaigns on Monday, Nov. 1.  

UMBC faced a similar situation in the spring, needing a win at NJIT to qualify for the four-team playoff. But the Highlanders prevailed, 1-0.  

The Retrievers waged a tremendous battle versus fifth-ranked New Hampshire last Saturday, but came up on the short end of a 1-0 score. UMBC's was shutout for the first time this season after registering at least a goal in the first 15 contests. It was not for a lack of effort, as the Retrievers attempted nine shots and created several quality opportunities.

DAWG BYTES

• UMBC sophomore forward Taylor Calheira (Towson, Md./Concordia Prep) is tied for 19th place nationally with a league-leading nine goals scored. He is tied with six other players for third place with five game-winning goals. The nine goals is the most by a Retriever since Pete Caringi III netted 13 in 2013.
• Calheira has four GWOT goals and six game-winning goals in 24 career contests. He has not hits the nets in four games, since netting the overtime game-winner versus Howard on Oct. 7.
• Junior back Julian Conze (Telgte, Germany) is tied for ninth in the nation with eight assists. The eight assists are the most by a Retriever since Gaeton Caltabiano notched eight in 2013. UMBC is 7-0-1 when Conze scores a goal and/or contributes an assist.
• UMBC has gotten dynamic scoring at all three levels this season. Calheira (9-5-23), junior midfielder Ryan Becher (Hummelstown, Pa.) (7-5-19) and Conze (4-8-16) have combined for 20 goals and 18 assists in 2021.
• Senior goalkeeper Quantrell Jones (Baltimore, Md./Kenwood) recorded his 11th career shutout versus Binghamton and is now tied for ninth place on UMBC's all-time l
• The Retrievers are undefeated in overtime (3-0-2) this season.
• UMBC scored at least one goal in the first 15 games of the season, the longest scoring streak to open a campaign since 2001, when the Retrievers also hit the scoreboard in the first 15 games.
• Head Coach Pete Caringi, Jr., enters his 31st campaign at UMBC and now has a record of 309-197-78. At the start of the season, he was ranked 20th amongst active NCAA I coaches with the 302 victories and the most recent mentor to reach the 300-win level (Feb. 23, 2021 vs. GW) and 36th with a winning percentage of 59.9.
• Associate Head Coach Anthony Adams, '97, begins his 25th season, patrolling the sidelines with his former coach, while former Retriever All-American Pete Caringi III, enters his eighth.

 A GLANCE AT THE HIGHLANDERS   

• NJIT reignited their playoff hopes with a 3-2 overtime win at Binghamton on Oct. 23. The win snapped a four-game losing streak.
• Freshman MF Matt Moran scored the game-tying goal with 4:56 remaining in regulation and fifth-year forward Regsan Watkins won it 3:32 into overtime.  
• Fifth-year forward Rene White leads the conference with 0.67 goals per game (8 goals in 12 contests). White missed several October games due to injury. He is the program's leading all-time scorer with 46 goals and 102 points.  
• The Highlanders have allowed a league-high 2.27 goals per game this fall.

 THE ALL-TIME SERIES

• The Highlanders won both meetings in the spring, triumphing, 2-1, at Retriever Soccer Park on March 9, in addition to the season-ending victory in Newark. Sophomore back Kyle Waggoner (Annapolis, Md./Broadneck) scored UMBC's lone goal versus NJIT in two matches. Watkins scored the game-winner versus UMBC in Baltimore.  
• UMBC routed NJIT, 1-0, in the only other meeting, back in 2004.