Box Score Boyds, Md. The UMBC men's soccer team nearly pulled off a miraculous come-from-behind tie but fell by a score of 4-3 against the American Eagles on Tuesday evening at Maryland SportsPlex.

American (2-2-3) scored three goals early in the second half and led 4-1 with under 15 minutes remaining in the game. The Retrievers never gave in and had several chances in the closing minutes but came up just short.

UMBC (3-2-2) held most of the possession in the opening half until American went ahead with just thirty seconds left in the stanza. Nicholas Shirley raced into the box and headed in a left-footed free kick from Taku Takahashi past UMBC junior goalkeeper Emigdio Tormo Lopez (four saves).

The Retrievers answered right back and got the equalizer with just four ticks left in the half on a tally by junior midfielder Joseph Picotto. Current America East Rookie of the Week Matteo Samori initiated the play along the right sideline by feeding graduate student defender Hans Nesheim outside the box. Nesheim then tapped the ball to a hard-charging Picotto, who drilled a winner past American keeper Matthew Tibbetts (six saves) from the top of the right corner of the box.

American took control of the game by scoring three goals in less than a four-minute span early in the second half.

Mustapha Sowe tallied back-to-back goals to open the run, including the go-ahead tally with 34:37 left. Sowe got behind the Retrievers' back line and received a through ball from Troy Elgersma. Lopez raced off his line, but Sowe managed to sneak a low shot into the lower left corner from ten yards out.

Sowe scored a similar goal just 1:32 later after receiving an over-the-top pass from Leo Paloma that originated from American's 25-yard line. Sowe beat a UMBC defender and put another low shot into the lower left corner after Lopez had charged out of the net.

The Eagles completed the run when Ethan Boyle converted a penalty kick after UMBC was whistled for a handball in the box in the 60th minute.

The Retrievers gave the hosts a major scare in the final 15 minutes of the contest and nearly battled back.

UMBC capitalized on a penalty kick by Ismailcan Usta with 14:22 remaining to cut the deficit to 4-2.

Picotto then recorded his first career brace after heading in a corner kick from senior midfielder Ty Stroud with 3:52 left to bring the visitors within a single score.

The Dawgs thought they had the equalizer with 1:55 left, but the marker was erased from the board because of an offsides call on the play. Stroud played a brilliant ball into the box from the midfield line, and sophomore striker Ryan Calheira came up with the ball. He then struck the right post, but Loc San was there to put in the rebound. However, the fifth-year forward was whistled for the offense.

UMBC continued to apply the pressure in the closing seconds and was awarded a corner kick with 28 ticks left. Stroud's initial opportunity rebounded back to him, and he sent a perfect cross from the left side to Calheira, who was all alone on the back post. But Calheira's header sailed just over the center of the crossbar, and the final horn went off just seconds later.

UMBC held a 23-13 advantage in shots and attempted 11 corners compared to just two by the hosts.

The Retrievers travel to Cornell on Saturday evening.