BALTIMORE - The UMBC women's lacrosse team received hat-tricks from four players as the Retrievers overpowered the Akron Zips, 22-8, in a non-conference contest at rainy UMBC Stadium on Friday afternoon.
Junior midfielder Lauryn Warfield played a spectacular all-around game, producing a career-high five goals, six draw controls, and five ground balls. Junior attackman Libby Staples (2 goals, five assists) and freshman linemate Emily Knapp (4 goals, three assists) both recorded a game-high seven points. Senior attacker Grace Bruce added four goals and two assists to reach 100 career points as a Retriever and now needs just three goals to reach 100 for her career. Freshman attacker Annika Wray recorded her first career hat-trick while junior Lizzie Bateman distributed four assists. Junior defender Ella Killian added a game-high seven draw controls and forced a pair of turnovers. Graduate student goalkeeper Isabella Fontana stopped a season-high 12 shots to pick up her 10th victory.
The Dawgs outshot the visitors by 41-25, and the Zips committed 15 turnovers compared to seven by the hosts.
UMBC (11-2) never trailed as they scored three goals in the first 5:26 to grab a 3-0 advantage. Bruce scored the first two goals and Knapp recorded her first of the day to end the stretch.
Akron (8-6) cut the deficit to 3-2 with 6:37 left in the opening quarter, but the Retrievers went on another 3-0 run to take a 6-2 advantage early in the second quarter after Bruces' third tally.
Once again, the Zips scored two straight to trim the deficit at 6-4 with 9:44 left in the half, but the Dawgs scored three unanswered goals to hold them off.
The Retrievers led 9-5 at halftime as Akron managed to score with just five ticks left before intermission.
The Zips inched within 12-8 with 7:54 left in the third quarter, but UMBC scored five straight times to close the stanza with a commanding 17-8 advantage. Warfield scored twice during the burst, and Knapp added a pair of helpers.
The hosts continued to pour it on in the fourth quarter as they scored all five goals to close out the match.
Sienna Hinchcliffe paced Akron with three goals and added an assist.
UMBC will travel to UAlbany on Saturday, April 19.
