Smithfield, RI – UMBC junior attacker Grace Bruce scored four goals, but the visiting Retrievers dropped a 15-10 decision against the Bryant Bulldogs, in the America East season-opener for both squads on Saturday morning.
 
Bruce (team-high 31 goals this season) hit the target on four of her six shots and juniors Kolby Weedon (game-high three cause turnovers) and Katana Nelson (one assist) each contributed a hat trick to lead UMBC's offensive efforts.
 
How It Happened

• UMBC (5-4, 0-1 America East) got on the board first as Nelson scored an unassisted tally just fifty-four seconds into the match. It would be the only lead of the day for the visitors.
•  Bryant (6-3, 1-0 AE) scored three straight times to claim a 3-1 edge with 6:02 remaining in the first quarter.
•  The Retrievers scored the next two goals to even the game, 3-3, after Weedon and Nelson scored at 5:38 and 4:53 respectively.
•  The hosts would take a 4-3 advantage after Peyton Woodward scored her second of the game late in the first quarter.
•  Brie Larson gave the Bulldogs a 5-3 edge just twenty-two ticks into the second quarter, but Gruce tallied back-to-back woman up goals to knot the game with 10:12 left in the stanza.
•  Once again, Bryant went on a run as they scored three straight times to re-claim an 8-5 lead with 3:59 left in the half.
•  UMBC was able to earn some momentum before the break as Bruce and Weedon scored unassisted goals to trim the deficit to 8-7 at intermission.
•  Weedon struck for her third goal of the match to even the contest at 8-8 with 7:59 left in the third but Kenna Kaut (game-high five goals) put the hosts on top again at 9-8 just under a minute later.
•  The Retrievers would tie the game for the final time as with 5:48 left in the third when Bruce scored her last goal of the morning.
•  Bryant scored the first three goals of the fourth quarter and outscored UMBC by a 6-1 count to put the game away. Kaut scored three times in the frame, including a pair of woman up tallies.

Notes

• Bruce, who went 3-for-3 on free position shots, has six hat-tricks on the season to lead the Retrievers. She has scored four or more goals five times.
• Weedon has five hat-tricks in 2024 and needs eight goals to reach 100 for her career.
• Nelson has back-to-back hat-tricks and a total of four on the season.
• Senior attacker Mary Ellis has at least one assist in all nine contests and leads the squad with 18 helpers  this season.
• Sophomore midfielder Lauryn Warfield recorded a team-high five draw controls.
• Senior Isabella Fontana made eight saves in goal for UMBC, who will host New Hampshire on Friday afternoon.