The UMBC women's soccer team opens the 2022 campaign on Thursday, Aug. 18 when they travel to the nation's capital and take on the George Washington Colonials at GW Soccer Field. The opening kick-off is set for 3:00 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+.
The Retrievers head to Virginia to face Longwood on Sunday before opening the home slate versus Wagner on Thursday, Aug. 25.
NOTABLE
- The Retrievers posted a 5-9-3 mark in 2021, including a 4-2-2 mark in non-conference play.
- UMBC ended the campaign on a five-game winless streak, where they only managed to produce one goal.
- Sophomore midfielder Izzy BInko (Selbyville, Del.) started all 17 games in 2021 and leads the returning players in the wake of a 4-goal, 10-point freshman campaign.
- Senior midfielder Caroline Koutsos (Boyds, Md.) added three goals and led all UMBC players with 26 shots on target a season ago.
- Two rising Retriever sophomores – defender Lauren Reid (Sept. 20) and goalkeeper Abbey Cowles (Sept. 13) earned America East Defensive Player of the Week honors in 2021. Cowles added Rookie of the Week honors as she debuted by collecting 13 saves in a double-overtime scoreless draw versus Longwood on Sept. 9.
- Cowles (7), senior Morgan McGruder (8) and sophomore Isy Davy (2) all started games for the Retrievers in the cage a season ago. McGruder posted a 1.22 goals against average and a 3-4-1 record, while Cowles led the way with three shutouts.
- Head Coach Vanessa Mann enters her fifth season at the helm. She is assisted by Jen Mavis and Daniel Saucedo.
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A GLANCE AT THE COLONIALS
- GW posted a mark of 3-12-3 a season ago, but won two of their final three games and finished at 3-6-1 in A-10 play.
- The Colonials scored 18 goals and allowed 40 in 2021. Sophomore defender Alicia Window scored five times to lead all 2022 returning GW players.
THE ALL-TIME SERIES
- This is the 17th meeting between GW and UMBC, with the Colonials holding a 14-1-1 advantage in the series.
- UMBC has dropped four straight in the series and is winless in six. The Retrievers' lone victory occurred in 2005, a 1-0 victory in DC.
- The two squads met as recently as 2019, with the Colonials pulling off a 4-1 win at Retriever Soccer Park.
