The UMBC women's soccer team (4-5-2) competes in their final non-conference match of the season when they travel to Dover, Del. and take on the Delaware State Hornets on Thursday, Oct. 7. The contest gets underway at Alumni Stadium at 7:00 p.m.
The Retrievers are hoping to snap a three-game slide after Sunday's tough 1-0 setback to UMass Lowell. Delaware State (1-9-0) has lost two in a row after picking up their first win of the season, a 1-0 triumph over Hampton on Sept. 24.
After a scoreless first half, UMBC went on the attack early in the second and created the better of the scoring chances, but could not break through. UML scored in the 79' and held on for the 1-0 victory.
NOTABLE:
- Junior midfielder Juliana Rafaniello (Old Bridge, N.J.) leads the squad with four goals and nine total points. She has netted the game-winning goal in three of four Retriever wins this season and stands tied for third in America East in GWG per game.
- Junior midfielder Carolyn Koutsos (Boyds, Md./Good Counsel) has added three goals for UMBC and is sixth in the league with 1.45 shots on goal per game.
- Sophomore midfielder Grace Harvey (Gaithersburg, Md./Gaithersburg), who notched the GWG at Maine, has scored twice for the Retrievers this fall.
- Junior goalkeeper Morgan McGruder (Overland Park, Kan.) leads the conference with 7.0 saves per game. She made a career high 11 stops in the 1-0 loss to UMass Lowell.
A GLANCE AT THE HORNETS:
- Delaware State and UMBC have played three common opponents – Hartford, Robert Morris and Towson. The Hornets dropped all three contests by a combined total of 13-1, while UMBC went 1-1-1 versus that group.
- Graduate student midfielder Mary O'Connor scored the game-winner for DSU on a penalty kick in the 45' in the 1-0 home win over Hampton. Junior goalkeeper Eriona Shabani made two saves to record the shutout.
- Senior midfielder Jada Lee has the other Hornets' goal on the campaign. Shabani has a solid save percentage of 71.8 and averages 8.8 saves per contest.
SERIES NOTES:
- This will be the eighth meeting between Delaware State and UMBC. UMBC has won the first seven contests in a series that dates back to 2002.
- The most recent match-up occurred in September of 2016 and the host Retrievers came away with a 3-1 victory.
UP NEXT:
UMBC heads to New Hampshire for a Sunday, Oct. 10 contest versus the Wildcats. The match gets underway at noon.
