Philadelphia, Pa. - The UMBC women's soccer team battled all evening but eventually fell to the host Drexel Dragons, 2-0, on Thursday evening.
Junior goalkeeper
Abbey Cowles made some outstanding plays to keep the Retrievers in the contest and recorded a game-high nine saves.
Drexel (2-1) scored the only goal they would need in the 22
nd minute on a tally by graduate student forward Annalena O'Reilly. Graduate student forward Emma Goodrow initiated the game-winner with a free kick into the upper-left side of the box. Cowles left her line and O'Reilly was able to find the lower-left corner of the net.
UMBC had several quality opportunities in the second half but were unable to get the equalizer. In the 51
st minute, graduate student forward
Natasha Munro sent a gorgeous cross into the box from the right corner, but nobody was there to get a foot on it. Just four minutes later, graduate student
Lola Negrete played a short corner to sophomore midfielder
Misa Kasparcova, who fired a dangerous shot on target that was deflected in front of the net. Freshman forward
Cheyenne Payne had UMBC's final chance with 11:40 left but her clean attempt from 15-yards out was sent right to keeper Molly Piso.
The Dragons put the game away as O'Reilly scored again on a free kick with just under seven minutes left. O"Reilly was able to sneak her low attempt past the Retrievers wall of defenders and just inside the far post
Drexel outshot UMBC by an 18-6 margin.
UMBC will travel to LIU on Sunday at 12:00 p.m.
