Farmville, Va. – Host Longwood (2-0-0) exploded for three early second half goals and defeated UMBC (0-0-0-1), 4-1, as the Retriever completed their opening two-game road swing.
UMBC freshman Delainey Valera-Keen (Lancaster, Pa.) scored her first career goal in the 8' to knot the score at 1-1.
For the second consecutive game, UMBC and its opponent went to halftime in a 1-1 tie, but the Lancers capitalized on several brilliant early second half strikes to earn the victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- In the 2', Longwood's Savannah Noll hit a perfectly placed ball from well out on the right wing and it nestled just under the crossbar to give the Lancers an early 1-0 lead.
- UMBC senior Natasha Munro had a good look in the 6', but her shot on target was parried over the net.
- The Retrievers earned three corners over the next couple of minutes and the third resulted in the first career goal for Valera-Keen. In the 8', positioned at the back post, the freshman headed in Lola Negrete's boot from the left corner spot.
- In the 38', a long cross by Meghan McKye hit the far left post, but no Retriever could get to the loose change.
- The Lancers pressured late in the half, but the UMBC defense held firm and the game went to halftime deadlocked at 1-1.
- But Longwood struck three times in the early stages of the second half, with Megan Baker tallying off a header in the 53' before Catherine Forst and Emma Jones tallied in a 49-second span moments later.
NOTES
- Negrete has assisted on both UMBC goals in 2022.
- Senior Morgan McGruder (Overland, Park, Kan.) went the distance and was credited with five saves.
UMBC opens the home slate on Thursday, Aug. 25 when Wagner visits Retriever Soccer Park. The match gets underway at 6:00 p.m.
