BALTIMORE – The UMBC women's soccer team scored two goals in the final thirty minutes to secure a 3-1 victory over the Robert Morris Colonials on Thursday evening at Retriever Soccer Park.
Redshirt freshman
Zoe Brossman achieved her first two-goal game of her career, while sophomore
Kristiana Kolega provided the game-winner in the 60th minute.
UMBC (4-2-3) improved to 4-0 at home and remains unbeaten in its last three matches.
The Retrievers took an early lead in the 17th minute when junior
Payton Schenning was fouled in the penalty box by Robert Morris junior midfielder Shauna Gamble. Brossman successfully converted the penalty kick, firing a shot to the upper left corner past the former UMBC goalkeeper,
Abbey Cowles.
The Colonials (2-4-1) equalized with a penalty kick of their own 7:05 before halftime. Retrievers' sophomore defender
Gabby Larson was penalized after forward Paloma Swankler made a run into the box. Ava Trethewey converted the penalty, scoring with a ground shot that beat UMBC graduate student keeper
Kalli Williams.
Robert Morris had a chance to take the lead with just under 36 minutes remaining in the game, but Swankler missed a clear opportunity, hitting the far post after receiving a through ball.
Despite dominating the first half with a 15-3 shot advantage, the Retrievers regrouped and asserted control for the remainder of the match.
Kolega scored her first collegiate goal and delivered the game-winner with exactly 30 minutes left on the clock. After receiving a pass from
Payton Foster at the top of the box, Kolega maneuvered around a defender. Her first shot was blocked, but she followed up quickly to score with another shot to the upper left corner, beating Cowles.
Brossman added an insurance goal with 7:41 remaining, completing a give-and-go play with Schenning at the top of the box. She unleashed a powerful shot to the upper left corner, once again beating Cowles, who recorded seven saves in the game.
The Retrievers outshot Robert Morris 27-12 and earned six corner kicks compared to three for the visitors. Williams made three saves over the course of the match to secure the victory.
Next, UMBC will travel to Navy for a match on Sunday evening.
