The UMBC men's soccer squad (2-1-1) ventures out of the state of Maryland for the first time this season when they head to Brookeville, N.Y. to take on Long Island University (1-2-1). The non-conference match-up is set for 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 11 at LIU Soccer Park. The contest will be broadcast on NEC Front Row.     

UMBC has won two straight games as the Retrievers defeated La Salle (3-2, ot) and Iona (2-1) at last weekend's UMBC-Navy Classic.  

All four UMBC contests have been decided by a single goal (or a tie). The Retrievers opened with a 2-2 double overtime draw versus Navy, then dropped a 4-3 decision at nationally-ranked Maryland.

Junior midfielder Ryan Becher (Hummelstown, Pa.) leads the potent Retriever offense with four goals and one assist. After scoring just six goals in eight games in the spring campaign, UMBC has tallied ten times in four contests to date.

Honored

• Becher earned America East Offensive Player of the Week honors for his efforts in last weekend's games. He scored the game-tying goal in the 82' and set up Taylor Calheira's (Towson, Md./Concordia Prep) overtime GWG vs. La Salle before putting away Iona with the game-winner on Sunday.
• Becher, and sophomores Calheira, Jago Lott (Somerset, U.K.) and Hans Nesheim (Haugesand, Norway) all earned All-Tournament Team honors.

Dawg Bytes

• Ryan Becher now has nine career goals and 24 total points (9-6-24). His four goals in four games is the most by a Retriever since Pete Caringi III tallied eight times in the first four contests in 2013. Entering play this week, he was tied for the America East lead in goals and total points.
• Lott has an assist in each of the three games he has competed in this season and is tied for the league lead in helpers.
• Left back Julian Conze (Telgte, Germany) already has a pair of goals and two assists on the season.
• Senior goalkeeper Quantrell Jones (Baltimore, Md./Kenwood) has now played 1137 consecutive minutes in the Retriever nets.
• Lott, Conze, sophomore midfielder William Forby (Vegle, Denmark) and junior forward Justin John-Langba (Bowie, Md./Bowie) all scored their first career goals through the first three games of the season.
• Senior Jackson Becher (Hummelstown, Pa.) drew the primary assist on younger brother Ryan's game-tying goal. It was the first collaboration by the Brothers Becher during their shared time together (2019) at UMBC.

• Through four games, UMBC has rallied four times from a goal down to knot the score.

• Head Coach Pete Caringi, Jr., enters his 31st campaign at UMBC and now has a record of 304-191-77. 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 Sharks

• LIU is 1-2-1 and there has only been one goal scored in each of their four games to date.
• After dropping a 1-0 opening decision at Stony Brook, LIU responded with a 1-0 overtime victory at St. Joseph's. Emil Jaaskelainen scored just 1:43 into the extra session to end the contest.
• After a scoreless draw at Fordham, Hofstra edged LIU, 1-0 on Sept. 8. The Sharks played up a man for the final 17 minutes, but could not get the equalizing goal.
• Goalkeeper Demetri Skoumbakis has not been severely tested through four games, making just 11 saves in 50 shots faced.
• LIU won the 2018 NEC title and competed in the NCAA Tournament, falling to West Virginia in the first round.

All-Time Series

• The Retrievers hold a 5-2 series advantage after a 5-1 victory in 2019 at Retriever Soccer Park.
• The Becher brothers both scored in that contest; Ryan tallied in the 2' and Jackson got on the board in the 89'. Quantrell Jones made six saves, but was denied the shutout on a Shark goal in the 89'.

Up Next

UMBC renews its rivalry with Mount St. Mary's on Tuesday, Sept. 14 at Retriever Soccer Park. The opening kick-off is set for 7:00 p.m.