BALTIMORE - After picking up its first win of the season on Tuesday, UMBC men's lacrosse makes the short trip to Towson on Friday evening to take on the Tigers at Johnny Unitas Stadium. UMBC is 1-2 on the season after defeating Mount St. Mary's, 7-4, on Tuesday. Towson is also 1-2 after dropping a 12-11 game at St. Joseph's last Friday evening.
UMBC and Towson will meet for the 55th time on Friday night, the fourth straight season with a meeting between the programs. Towson has won the last two matchups and holds a 37-17 edge in the series dating back to 1970. The Tigers won last season's meeting, 17-10, at UMBC Stadium. Mikey Weisshaar and Ronan Fitzpatrick scored four goals each for the Tigers, while Corey Myers put the ball in the net four times for the Retrievers. Jordan Galloway also contributed three goals and an assist for UMBC. Alex Steers won the face-off battle, taking 16-of-29 for the Retrievers.
LAST TIME OUT
- Ryan Demato scored a career-high four goals, and UMBC scored six of its seven goals in the fourth quarter of a 7-4 victory over Mount St. Mary's on Tuesday evening. Connor Chick added the lone assist of the day for the Retrievers, while Alex Steers once again won the face-off battle, taking eight of 13. McMahon made seven saves to earn his first win of the season, adding six ground balls for UMBC. The Retrievers caused 10 turnovers with Marinello, Drew Lapointe, and Jameson Coffman each causing a pair. The trio each had three ground balls, as did Steers.
- The No. 17/16 Towson University men's lacrosse team narrowly fell for a second time in a road game in the young season, coming up just short in a 12-11 defeat to Saint Joseph's 12-11 on Friday night. Towson (1-2) looked to fight back down 9-6 early into the third quarter at Saint Joseph's (2-1), coming back to within one four times. Towson had a final possession and had several shots at the goal, but the Hawks held for the win. Joaquin Villagomez led Towson with three goals in the game. Mikey Weisshaar had two goals and an assist while Trevor Phipps notched two goals. Towson dominated at the face-off X, winning 18-of-27. Kai Lopez won 17-of-26 on the night.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
- Despite opening the year ranked in the USILA Top 20, Towson has dropped out, but continues to receive votes, after a 1-2 start with losses to current #16 Johns Hopkins and #18 Saint Joseph's. Both Tiger losses have come by two or fewer goals, with their victory over Navy coming by four goals.
- Seven different players have already scored three or more goals for Towson, led by senior All-American, Mikey Weisshaar. Weisshaar's list of accolades is lengthy and includes a Tewaaraton Trophy nominee, a CAA Offensive Player of the Year Award, and multiple AA honors. Now up to 170 career points, Weisshaar has eight goals and four assists this season, scoring multiple goals in each of the Tigers three games this year.
- Joaquin Villagomez (6) and Alex Roussel (4) lead the next group of scorers for Towson with Kai Lopez, Ryan Schrier, Trevor Phipps, and Will Schoonmaker all scoring three goals so far this season. Villagomez, a former CAA All-Rookie Team selection, missed the 2025 season with injury, but has responded well after being held scoreless in the opener against Hopkins. The redshirt junior has three goals in each of the last two outings. Roussel, an Ontario product from The Hill Academy (as is UMBC's Caiden Merritt), scored a hat trick in the win over Navy.
- Lopez, a sophomore FOGO in his first full season as the main option, has won 61 percent of his face-offs this season, scoring two goals in the loss to Hopkins. He also leads the team in ground balls with 20.
- Jake Law has caused four turnovers for Towson, including three in the win over Navy. The junior started 11 games as a sophomore and caused six turnovers. He has started all three games this season.
- Matt Nilan has been stellar despite the 1-2 start in goal, making 37 saves to 33 goals allowed. Nilan has a save percentage of 52.9 this season and has started all three games after working in a reserve capacity in 2024 and 2025. Nilan added an assist in the loss to Saint Joseph's.
SCOUTING THE DAWGS
- Thanks to his career-high four goals on Saturday, including a SportsCenter Top 10 goal to seal the deal, Demato is tied for the team lead in points this season with five goals and an assist. Demato has put five more shots on target than any other Retriever this season and has a point in each contest. His next goal will be his 20th at UMBC.
- Demato is tied with Connor Chick, brother of Associate Head Coach Craig Chick, with six points this season. The senior attacker has one goal and five assists, handing out three assists versus Drexel and recording at least one point in each game this season. The team's leading returning goal scorer with 22 a year ago, Chick has already surpassed his assist total from 2025.
- Freshman Jack Fish continues to contribute offensively, adding his fourth goal of the season on Tuesday. Fish had a multi-goal performance against Loyola (Md.) and the Severna Park native has put one home in each game of his collegiate career.
- St. Bonaventure transfer Jake Kucinski was held off the scoresheet against Mount St. Mary's, but the junior has added three goals and two assists so far this season.
- Friday's contest should feature a battle at the face-off X with Steers winning nearly 60 percent of his face-offs this season. Steers is 37-62 so far this year and has a team-high 13 ground balls.
- Senior Casey Pung has caused six turnovers and picked up four ground balls this season. He has caused a turnover in each game and set a career-high, forcing four turnovers last Friday night against the Greyhounds. Joining him on defense is captain Dante Marinello, who has already added a goal and an assist this season, while causing three turnovers.
- Sophomore captain Jameson Coffman has been all over the field for UMBC in his role as a SSDM, scoring two goals, causing three turnovers, and picking up five ground balls.
- 2025 America East Goalkeeper of the Year, and 2026 Preseason All-America East Selection, Connor McMahon, had made 28 saves so far this season, recording his fifth and sixth career games with 10 or more saves against Drexel and Loyola.
ROSTER BREAKDOWN
- RETURNERS - #0 Noah Hall, #1 Corey Myers, #2 Zack Johnson, #3 Mike Dunleavy, #5 Justin Webber, #6 Ryan Demato, #8 Cam Dick, #9 Braden Smith, #10 Nick Gutierrez, #11 Conner Layden, #12 Casey Pung, #13 Connor Chick, #14 Gavin Batelka, #15 Keegan Ryan, #17 Alec Howard, #18 Logan Earl, #20 Dante Marinello, #21 Connor McMahon, #22 Kevin Bredeck, #23 Dylan Sharpe, #24 Zach Coyle, #28 Ayden Davis, #30 Billy Stephens, #31 Griffen McNeir, #33 Dylan Hendrix, #36 Josh Schrader, #38 Landon Greenberg, #39 Alex Steers, #40 Nathan Ward, #43 Xander Maxwell, #44 Logan Duffy, #55 Jameson Coffman
- TRANSFERS - #50 Jake Kucinski, #53 Ethan Wiech
- FRESHMEN - #4 Grant Mauldin, #16 Thomas Keating, #19 Todd Freeman, #25 Paulo Vazquez, #26 Elliott McClendon, #27 Caiden Merritt, #34 Drew Lapointe, #45 Jack Fish, #49 Than Souza
2025 IN REWIND
- UMBC opened up the season with victories over Drexel and Mount St. Mary's, beginning the year 2-0 for the second time in three seasons. The Retrievers dropped games to Towson and #13 Richmond before opening up America East play on March 15.
- The Retrievers opened up league play with victories over Vermont and UAlbany, taking wins by final scores of 10-7 and 13-12 in overtime. UMBC fell at Bryant, 12-7, its lone America East regular season loss.
- The Dawgs bonced back with wins over UMass Lowell and Binghamton at home before winning 19-11 at NJIT. UMBC finished off the regular season with a neutral site loss to Holy Cross before heading to Smithfield, Rhode Island for the America East Championships. UMBC fell 9-7 in a rematch of the regular season thriller with UAlbany. The Retrievers led 6-3 in the second, but UAlbany scored six of the final seven goals to come away victorious.
AMERICA EAST PRESEASON POLL
1. UAlbany - 40 (6)
2. Bryant - 29 (1)
3. Vermont - 24
4. UMBC - 21
5. Binghamton - 18
6. UMass Lowell - 8
7. NJIT - 7
WHAT'S NEXT
