UMBC (2-2) at Towson (3-0) | Tiger Field | Thursday, Aug. 31, 6:00 p.m. | Watch | Live Stats 

DAWG BYTES
- The "Rick Stainton Era" began with a bang as the UMBC women's soccer team blanked Kutztown, 2-0, in the season-opener at Retriever Soccer Park on Aug.17.
 - Freshman forward Payton Schenning, Maryland's 2022 Gatorade Girls Player of the Year, headed in the game-winner just two minutes into her career off a gorgeous corner kick into the box from graduate student Lola Negrete.  The Retrievers got an insurance marker in the '70 when freshman striker Cheyenne Payne tapped in a feed from junior midfielder Bella Roppolo from five yards out.
 -  After falling to Longwood and Drexel, the Dawgs evened their record with a 1-0 victory at LIU last Sunday. Senior forward Meghan McKye struck just 12 minutes in with a laser from 15 yards out after shedding three defenders. Junior goalkeeper Abbey Cowles recorded her fourth career shutout and made six saves.
- McKye now has five game-winners in her career.
 -  Cowles is second in the America East with 6.25 saves per game. She is also fourth in goals against average (.750).
 -  Payne is sixth on the circuit with 1.25 shots on goal per game.
 - Graduate students Natasha Munro and Lola Negrete are tied for ninth in the league in shots per game (1.00).
 - UMBC will play three straight matches (GW, High Point, Navy) at Retriever Soccer Park after Thursday evening's contest at Towson.
 
ABOUT TOWSON
- The Tigers (3-0-0) scored a pair of goals in a three-minute span to take care of the Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers (0-2-1) last Thursday in Emmitsburg. Jasmine Hamid and Phoebe Canoles got the Tigers started, with Nia Christopher adding a second-half goal for a 3-0 win.
- The Tigers are 3-0 to start the season for the first time since 2007 and just the third time in program history. Towson also started 3-0 in 2000.
- Nia Christopher increased her streak to three straight games with a point. She now has 68 points for her career.
- Christopher moved to within a goal of Emily Banes for first all-time with her goal in the 53^rd minute.
 - Riley Melendez recorded her second consecutive shutout and now has 21 in her career. 

INSIDE THE SERIES
- UMBC is 7-11-3 all-time against their local rival and have not defeated the over their last 12 meetings), a 2-1 OT win on the road. The Dawgs, however, have earned three draws during the stretch.
- Last season, Towson blanked UMBC by a score of 2-0 at Retriever Soccer Park. The Tigers scored an early goal in the 10' and got an insurance marker on a penalty shot with 16 minutes remaining.