Women's Soccer Set for Home Opener Against Mercyhurst on Sunday

UMBC (0-0-1, 0-0-0 AE) vs. Mercyhurst (0-0-1 0-0-0 NEC) | Baltimore, Md. | Retriever Soccer Park | Sunday, Aug 17, 11:00 a.m. | Watch | Live Stats
Promotion: The first 200 kids 12 and under will receive a mystery prize. A postgame autograph session with the team at the conclusion of the contest.

Dawg Bytes

UMBC (5-12-1, 1-6-1 AE) lost eight starters to graduation and will have a whole new look in 2025
Midfielder Misa Kasparcova, goalie Sara Gavagan and midfielder Delainey Varela-Keen have the most playing experience and were named captains prior to the season
Nine newcomers are expected to compete for quality minutes
Junior transfer Payton Foster (Iona) is the most heralded newcomer. She tied for the team-lead with six goals last season and made 14 starts for the Gaels
Sophomore defender Gabby Larson flashed as a freshman in 2024 and is expected to play a bigger role in her second season. She was named to the America East All-Rookie Team
Junior midfielder Regan Rubin scored her first career goal as the Retrievers earned a 1-1 draw against the Wagner Seahawks in the season opener for both squads on Thursday evening on Staten Island
UMBC converted on its best chance of the evening when Rubin scored a gorgeous goal from the 12-yard line. A pair of reserves combined on the play as classmate Rian Stainton delivered a five-yard touch pass along the left wing for Rubin, who then fired a perfect high-arching shot just inside the upper right corner of the far post. Junior midfielder Emily Hiney was also credited with her first career assist on the play
Gavagan (three saves) made a couple of sensational saves to allow the Retrievers to take the lead. With 13:30 left in the opening half, Gavagan made a great decision as she charged out of the net and was able to get a hand on Megan Knapp's shot from seven yards out. Then, in the 38th minute, the Seahawks had another chance from point-blank range. Kaylee Benson's shot on goal deflected off a UMBC defender, and Gavagan was able to punch the ball off the near post, which resulted in a corner kick
Wagner scored with just three minutes remaining to tie the match

About Mercyhurst

Mercyhurst opened their season Thursday, finishing with a 1-1 draw against Northern Kentucky. The game-tying goal came from a penalty kick scored by Anamari Bosnjak in the 23^rd minute.
Adri Lika made nine saves to earn the victory in goal
The Lakers will rely on a young core of players in the new year, returning just four student-athletes who started in 10 or more games in 2024. The team went 4-11-4 (3-4-3 NEC) last season
Madison Sievering is back with the Lakers for her redshirt sophomore season, following an outstanding first year on the pitch. She tied the team-high in points with 16 and led the team in assists with six as a redshirt freshman in 2024.Sievering earned a spot on the NEC All-Rookie team for her efforts
Joining the Lakers on the attack is transfer redshirt sophomore Maddi Cowburn. Cowburn joins the Lakers after spending the first two years of her collegiate career at Eastern Michigan. She saw action in the first 11 matches of her freshman year in 2023 before she suffered a season ending injury and redshirted the 2024 season
Cowburn, a native of nearby Bradford, Pennsylvania, was a stellar offensive player in high school, becoming the first player to record 100 goals and 100 assists in Bradford Area history
Freshman Nathalie Dediu and junior Annabel Ahrin also look to add to the Mercyhurst offense that finished in the top three in the NEC in goals and assists in 2024

Inside The Series

UMBC is 0-1 all-time against the Lakers.
Mercyhurst blanked the Retrievers by a score of 3-0 last season in Pennsylvania. The Retrievers outshot the hosts by a 12-7 margin

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Players Mentioned

#32 Sara Gavagan: GK; 5' 8"; Sophomore

#20 Delainey Varela-Keen: M; 5' 7"; Sophomore

#19 Emily Hiney: M; 5' 6"; Freshman

#31 Misa Kasparcova: M; 5' 3"; Sophomore

#2 Gabby Larson: D; 5' 8"; Sophomore

#11 Regan Rubin: M; 5' 7"; Junior

#5 Rian Stainton: M; 5' 3"; Junior

#36 Payton Foster: Forward; 5' 10"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#32 Sara Gavagan
: 5' 8"; Sophomore
: GK

#20 Delainey Varela-Keen
: 5' 7"; Sophomore
: M

#19 Emily Hiney
: 5' 6"; Freshman
: M

#31 Misa Kasparcova
: 5' 3"; Sophomore
: M

#2 Gabby Larson
: 5' 8"; Sophomore
: D

#11 Regan Rubin
: 5' 7"; Junior
: M

#5 Rian Stainton
: 5' 3"; Junior
: M

#36 Payton Foster
: 5' 10"; Junior
: Forward