The UMBC men's soccer squad (1-0-1) face a tough challenge on Tuesday when they welcome new America East foe NJIT (0-0-1) to Retriever Soccer Park. The game, which was rescheduled from Feb. 27, kicks off at 7:00 p.m. and will be broadcast on the America East digital network.  

For Openers

Visiting UMBC extended its foes' scoreless streak to over 226 minutes, but could not dent the net and settled for a 0-0 double-overtime draw against Stony Brook in cold, blustery conditions at LaValle Stadium on March 5.

UMBC junior goalkeeper Quantrell Jones (Baltimore, Md./Kenwood) posted his ninth career shutout and second of the young season, making five saves.

Milestone

Head Coach Pete Caringi, Jr.,is the third coach in UMBC history to mentor a program for 30 or more seasons. He recorded his 300th is next victory on Feb. 27, as UMBC defeated George Washington, 1-0, in double overtime.

Honored

UMBC freshman forward Taylor Calheira (Towson, Md./Concordia Pre) and junior goalkeeper Quantrell Jones (Baltimore, Md./Kenwood) earned two of the three weekly honors from the America East Conference on March 1.  

Calheira earned Rookie of the Week honors, while Jones was tabbed Defensive Player of the Week.

Making his collegiate debut, Calheira struck off a corner kick in the 106' as the host Retrievers opened the 2020-21 campaign with a 1-0 double overtime victory over George Washington on February 23.

Jones set a new career high with nine saves and recorded his eighth career shutout in the Retrievers' 1-0 double-overtime victory over the Colonials.

Dawg Bytes

• The back-to-back shutouts are the Retrievers' first since the first two games of the 2017 campaign
• The Retrievers received 18 votes (30th-most) in Soccer Wire's Week 1 national rankings (March 2).   
• UMBC is set to play six America East Conference games, which includes home and away dates with NJIT and Stony Brook and single game versus UAlbany and at Binghamton.

• The America East Championships will be held April 15 and 17 at a single site, with the champion advancing to the NCAA Tournament.
• Juniors Jordan Ehart (Severna Park, Md./Mount St. Joseph) and Quantrell Jones and sophomore Julian Conze (Telgte, Germany) will serve as tri-captains for the 2020-21 campaign.
• Twelve of 23 players on the squad are newcomers. Five freshmen (Calheira, Hanks, Jago Lott, Hans Nesheim, William Forby) have started both games to date.
• UMBC faced NJIT back in 2004 and came away with a 10-0 decision in the season opener.
• The Highlanders will be playing for the first time since Feb. 17, when they opened the season with a 3-3 double overtime draw versus Seton Hall. Shortly thereafter, NJIT paused all team-related activities due to COVID-related protocols and league games versus UMBC (Feb. 27) and Binghamton (March 5) were postponed.
• Hence, NJIT will be playing their first-ever America East game on Tuesday. The Highlanders won the Atlantic Sun Conference in 2019 and competed in the NCAA Tournament for the first time.
• Senior forward Rene White gave NJIT a short-lived 3-2 lead over Seton Hall, scoring his 35 th career goal. White is NJIT's all-time leader in goals and points (76).
• Sophomore goalkeeper Samuel Reisgys, the 2019 ASUN Conference Goalkeeper of the Year, made nine saves against the Pirates., including a stop of a penalty kick.
• UMBC will play its third game in eight days when they welcome UAlbany to Retriever Soccer Park on Friday, March 12. The match is set for a 4:00 p.m. kick-off at Retriever Soccer Park.