BALTIMORE – Junior midfielder Joseph Picotto scored in the 50th minute to give the host UMBC Retrievers a 1-0 victory against the No. 16 ranked Vermont Catamounts in an America East Conference contest on Saturday evening. One thousand seven hundred eighty-nine fans witnessed the Retrievers' Homecoming victory on a chilly night at Retriever Soccer Park.

UMBC improved to 5-6-4 overall and 2-2-1 in the conference, with just two games remaining in the regular season. The Retrievers are now tied for third place with NJIT in the league standings.

"To beat a great team like Vermont, we had to go nose-to-nose for 90 minutes because they are a very physical team," stated UMBC Head Coach Anthony Adams. "We needed everybody, and it was a total team effort. "When guys had nothing left, they gave more. We knew that's what it would take to beat a team that hasn't lost since August."

The Catamounts (8-2-4, 3-1-1 AE), who had not dropped a game since their season-opener against Western Michigan on August 22, entered the contest with a 12-game unbeaten streak.

Picotto's fourth goal this season was set up by senior midfielder Karl Quist-Therson, who picked up his first assist of the campaign. Quist-Therson had the ball at the top of the right side of the box and sent a back pass to Picotto, who fired a missile from 25 yards out. The ball grazed off the head of Vermont defender Max Murray and sailed into the upper right corner of the net. Catamounts' goalkeeper Niklas Herceg (6 saves) could not make the play as he was caught flat-footed on the deflection.

"I'm happy about my goal, but the most important thing was the team effort," stated Picotto, who notched his first game-winner. "We needed this game; it's been a difficult season, but we're still here. Everyone is fighting, and we're not done. I really think the ball was going in without the deflection, but it doesn't matter as long as it went in."

UMBC junior Emigdio Tormo Lopez (5 saves) was a rock in goal and made a spectacular save with just over 19 minutes remaining to keep the visitors off the board. Striker Sydney Wathuta sent a blast from 30 yards toward the center of the goal, but Tormo Lopez leaped and tipped the ball over the crossbar for a corner kick.

Wathuta then had another good look as he hit a bending shot from the left side that bounced off the far post with 14:40 left.

The visitors held a 16-9 advantage in shots, but the Retriever's back line limited them from many quality chances throughout the evening.

UMBC will travel to Bryant on Friday evening.