BALTIMORE – The host UMBC men's soccer team earned a point in the America East Conference standings after recording a 1-1 draw against UMass Lowell on Saturday evening at Retriever Soccer Park.

"These are high-character guys, and I knew they would respond after Tuesday's loss to Drexel," stated UMBC Head Coach Anthony Adams. "They brought the energy and the commitment and played hard tonight, but that's soccer sometimes, and we came out with a tie. UMass Lowell is having a good season. Defensively, we had an excellent plan and did a nice job against them. We had our share of chances, and not being able to get rewarded with a win was disappointing. I told the team we wanted a response where we were committed to putting in a good performance, and we did that tonight." 

UMBC (4-4-3, 1-0-1) registered just one shot in the opening half but dominated play in the second half, attempting 16 shots and having seven corner kicks.

The River Hawks  (6-1-4, 1-0-1) capitalized on their only quality scoring chance of the stanza as Calvin Scholten beat UMBC junior goalkeeper Emigdio Tormo Lopez from five yards out 4:50 into the half. Guillermo Frances Poquet played a great ball from the top of the center of the box for Scholten, who was free inside the right side of the box. 

UMBC answered back just fifteen seconds later as sophomore forward Ryan Calheira avoided a defender on the left side of the box and drilled his fourth tally of the season past UMass Lowell keeper JR Gawel from seven yards out. Junior midfielder Joseph Picotto and senior forward Alek Wroblewski were credited with assists on the play.

Frances Poquet was red-carded in the 60th minute, and the Retrievers played the rest of the contest with a man advantage but could not capitalize.

UMBC had numerous scoring chances, as most of the play was in the visitors' end down the stretch. Graduate student forward Giuseppe Indelicato had a golden opportunity in the 70th minute, but his shot went over the crossbar after receiving a great cross from senior midfielder Ismailcan Usta.

Calheira maneuvered around a defender inside the box, but his shot from seven yards out was right at Gawel with 10:55 remaining.

Midfielder Mauro Fernandez saved the day for UMass Lowell with 1:45 left. Gawel left his line after a header into the box, and Usta hit a low shot from the top of the box that was penciled for the left corner of the goal. However, Fernandez was there to knock the ball away from harm.

UMBC will host Georgetown on Tuesday evening.