Video Highlights

Bethlehem, Pa. – UMBC sophomore forward Taylor Calheira (Towson, Md./Concordia Prep) ramped up his torrid play, registering a first half hat-trick as the Retrievers blanked Lehigh, 3-0, in a non-conference match at the Ulrich Sports Complex.

The reigning America East Conference Offensive Player of the Week now has six goals and two assists in UMBC's (5-2-1) current three-game winning streak.

Calheira scored in the 4', 10' and 26' and now has seven goals and 18 points on the season.

Retriever sophomore goalkeeper Jailon Gillespie (Laurel, Del.) made a career high eight saves as UMBC posted its second consecutive 3-0 shutout.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Similar to the early strike versus Hartford, UMBC's first goal was a thing of beauty. Sophomore midfielder Jago Lott (Somerset, U.K.) initiated the play from the Retrievers' side of midfield, sending a perfectly placed ball to junior linemate Ryan Becher (Hummelstown, Pa.). Becher one-timed it ahead to a sprinting Calheira, who outraced three Mountain Hawks and buried a 16 yard shot from the right wing into the left corner of the net just 3:56 into the game.
• Just seven seconds after 9-minute mark, Calheira pounced on junior fullback Julian Conze's (Telgte, Germany) bending corner, and nudged it past the Lehigh keeper from close range.
• Conze set up Calheira again in the 26', driving down the left side and curling a serve toward the far post where the Retriever striker headed it into the near side of the net.
• Calheira's bid for a fourth goal in the 64' on a header missed an open right side of the cage.
• The Mountain Hawks were credited with 12 second half shots and tested Gillespie on several occasions, but the first-year goalkeeper parried several attempts over the cage.

NOTABLE

• Calheira's three-goal effort is UMBC's first since Michael Dicesare scored a natural hat trick on Senior Night 2014 (Nov. 1) in a 5-1 victory over Vermont.
• Conze now has six assists on the season and the Retriever are 5-0-1 when he hits the scoresheet.
• The 5-2-1 start matches UMBC's 2017 record through eight games.
• The win at Lehigh was the Retrievers' first road triumph in 2021 and first since a Sept. 17, 2019 win at GW.
• It took the Retrievers 93 seconds more to build the 3-0 lead over Lehigh than it did to amass the same margin versus Hartford three nights ago.
• UMBC has scored two or more goals in seven of eight games this season.

UMBC returns to America East Conference play on Saturday, Sept. 25 when they travel to UMass Lowell to take on the River Hawks in a 7:00 p.m. contest from Cushing Field.